The historian John Hyde Preston reports that, after Serapis' first broadside, two of Bonhomme Richard's 18-pounder guns burst, possibly making other guns on the starboard side unsafe to use. Part of the damage was to the stern, causing the flag to dip somewhat.
At that point, Captain Pearson of Serapis hailed Jones and inquired, ''Do I understand, sir, that you have struck?'' (At the time, taking down one's flag from a vessel, called 'striking the colours', was the ''honourable'' way of signalling a surrender.)
The fourteen after-action accounts of Jones' reply agree on one thing: he did indeed say ''I've not yet begun to fight.'' Six of them offer variations on: ''Struck? You damned fool, I've not yet begun to fight.'' Three others indicate that Captain Jones was **considerably** less polite than that, reputedly hailing Pearson to the effect ''Tell your Arab whore what this battle is, when I've turned loose of you.''
I make no brief for any of these historical accounts. I will say, however, that the ''turned loose'' comment rings true; Jones' next move was to try to (and successfully) attach Bonhomme Richard to Serapis, with intent to board and storm, and also to employ his excellent group of sharpshooters.
He has been one of my heroes since I first read of him in elementary school. Yes, I was and still am a big time book worm!