At that moment, when it all seemed over, Captain Landais fired a broadside from the _Alliance_ into the _Bonhomme Richard_. Captain Jones called to him in God's name to desist, but he circled about the two ships and fired again and again into his ally, killing and wounding a number of men and officers. It was believed that the _Alliance_ had been captured by the enemy and had joined in the attack on the _Bonhomme Richard_, which was so injured that she began slowly to sink. Having wrought this irreparable damage, the _Alliance_ drew off and ceased her murderous work. Jones incited his prisoners to desperate pumping by the report that the _Serapis_ must soon go down and that the only way to save themselves from drowning was to keep the _Bonhomme_ afloat. An officer ran to the quarter deck to haul down the colors, but they had been shot away. He then hurried to the taffrail and shouted for quarter. Jones, being in another part of the ship, did not hear him. The British commander mustered his men to board the American, but they were driven back by the firing from the rigging of the _Bonhomme Richard_. The condition of the latter could not have been more desperate. She was so mangled that she began to settle, most of her guns had been disabled, a fire that could not be checked was already close to her magazine and several hundred prisoners were stealing here and there, waiting for a chance to strike from behind. [Illustration: OLD-TIME BATTLESHIPS.] A deserter had slipped on board of the _Serapis_ in the confusion and acquainted the commander with the frightful plight of the American. After firing with renewed ardor for several minutes Captain Pearson again called to know whether Jones had surrendered. He shouted back a defiant negative, and, pistol in hand, ordered his men to the guns, threatening to kill the first one who refused. All knew his temper too well to hesitate, and the battle was renewed with greater fury than before. Captain Pearson could not believe the condition of the _Bonhomme Richard_ as bad as was represented by the deserter. He had lost a great many men, all his guns were silenced, and, being utterly unable to make any further defence, he hauled down his flag with his own hands. The surrender was just in time to save the _Bonhomme Richard_, which was in danger of going down and blowing up. The united efforts of both crews were necessary to extinguish the flames before they reached the magazine. She was kept afloat through the night, while the wounded and prisoners were transferred to the _Serapis_. Then the battered and riddled old hulk plunged downward bow foremost into the depths of the German Ocean. [Illustration: MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN JOHN PAUL JONES.]