A Dinner with a Winner (of the Revolutionary War) by Jessica

A Dinner with a Winner (of the Revolutionary War) by Jessica - February 2016 Scholarship Essay

Most people would choose to have dinner with someone like George Washington or Mark Twain. Prominent historical figures like them have made important contributions to our world, yet I firmly believe that anyone sharing dinner with them would feel too serious to truly enjoy themselves. Any meeting with a bigwig from history should take place on a weightier occasion like a business brunch or luncheon. I like to dedicate my dinners to fun, unreserved gatherings with my friends! So which historical figure would I have dinner with? Obviously my first choice would be any of the famous pirates, but due to safety concerns, I present my second choice: John Paul Jones—and not the musician.
Perhaps John Paul Jones, the Scottish naval officer in the Revolutionary War, does not ring a bell to the common ear. However, I had the fortune to stumble upon him during some research for a history project. Around 1760, he left home to sail the seas at the ripe age of thirteen. After building up several years’ experience on various ships, he gained a captaincy when the captain on his ship died of yellow fever in 1768. Later on, his crew planned a mutiny against him and he killed the instigator. He immediately fled to Virginia to avoid a trial. When the colonies established the Continental Navy, Jones used his friendships with a few influential members of the Continental Congress to land a lieutenancy on one of the ships. He later raised the first flag ever flown on an American ship, and served many other countries in their navies.
So maybe John Paul Jones did not have the best character or is not the most popular choice for dinner guest, but he has got to have some great stories. With many years at sea under his belt and plenty of embarrassing anecdotes about our Founding Fathers to tell, I would surely have a great time at dinner with him. And we would not eat seafood.