[Aktungbby]

Your article leaves out the most famous convoy battle of all! John Paul Jones famous encounter with HMS Serapis aboard the Bonhomme Richard was actually a convoy attack which the able British commander won;the convoy he was shepparding escaped to British ports. John Paul, enroute to a career as a successful Russian rear admiral, obviously knew it: he accepted the surrendering English captain Pearson's sword; saying "you have fought like a hero"...

Sir Richard Pearson (1731–1806) was a British naval officer who was captain of the ship HMS Serapis during the American Revolution. As a lieutenant in the East Indies he did well during the Seven Years' War, where he was severely wounded. He was subsequently unable to obtain a commission because his senior officers twice died before they could fulfil their promises. He finally obtained post rank as a captain in 1773. In 1779, in command of the Serapis, 44 guns, and escorting a large convoy from the Baltic, he was attacked off Flamborough Head by an American rebel squadron under John Paul Jones in the Bonhomme Richard, 42 guns. This famous action ended in Pearson surrendering the Serapis to Jones but not before his spirited defense had covered the escape of the valuable convoy. The Bonhomme Richard ended up sinking following the capture, forcing Jones to lose his own ship and return to port in Pearson's captured vessel. Pearson was considered a hero in his homeland after the battle. He was knighted, received presents from the merchants and the freedoms of several towns. Most importantly, they had fully achieved their mission, which was to protect the convoy. When they returned home, about the beginning of November, they were honoured by the towns of Kingston upon Hull and Scarborough and were rewarded by both the Russia Company, principal owner of vessels in the convoy, and the Royal Exchange Assurance Company. Pearson even gained a knighthood. In 1780, to honour him for his actions in protecting the convoy, Pearson was presented with three Coconut Cups mounted in silver by Wakelin & Taylor. In 1782, the Royal Navy took the unusual step of naming a new ship Serapis- an acknowledgement rarely given to a vessel which lost a battle. John Paul Jones was later asked how he felt about the captain whom he had defeated in battle being knighted, and he reportedly said: "I'd like to meet him on the high seas again; I'll make him a lord!"

< John Paul's humor was as bad as my own! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle...amborough_Head