Captain Sir Richard Pearson
Portrait byCharles Grignion the Younger
Born	March 1731 (1731-03) Langton Hall,Appleby-in-Westmorland
Died	January 1806(1806-01-00) (aged 74) Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich
Allegiance	Great Britain United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy East India Company
Service years	1745–1750 (RN) 1750–1755 (EIC) 1755–1806 (RN)
Rank	Captain
Commands	HMSDruid HMSSpeedwell HMSGarland HMSSerapis HMSAlarm HMSArethusa Lieutenant-Governor of theRoyal Naval Hospital, Greenwich
Conflicts	War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War Battle of Cuddalore Battle of Negapatam Battle of Pondicherry Battle of Manila American Revolutionary War Battle of Flamborough Head Battle of Ushant
Spouse	Margaret Harrison ​ (m. 1769)​

CaptainSir Richard Pearson (March 1731 – January 1806) was aRoyal Navy officer who was captain of the shipHMSSerapis during theAmerican Revolutionary War.

As a lieutenant in the East Indies he served in theSeven 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 becamepost-captain in 1773.

In 1779, in command of the 44-gun frigateSerapis and escorting a large convoy from the Baltic, he was attackedoff Flamborough Head by a Franco-American squadron underJohn Paul Jones in the 42-gunBonhomme Richard. The battle ended in Pearson surrenderingSerapis to Jones but not before his spirited defence had covered the escape of the valuable convoy.Bonhomme Richard ended up sinking following the capture ofSerapis, forcing Jones to lose his own ship and return to port in Pearson's captured vessel.

Pearson was considered a hero in Britain after the battle.^[1] He was knighted, received presents from the merchants and the freedoms of several towns. Jones was later asked how he felt about Pearson being knighted, and reportedly replied: "I'd like to meet him on the high seas again; I'll make him a lord!"

Pearson's second son wasHenry Shepherd Pearson who was Governor of Penang in 1808.

Pearson was portrayed byPeter Cushing in the filmJohn Paul Jones (1959).

• Media related toRichard Pearson (Royal Navy officer) at Wikimedia Commons
• Portrait of Sir Richard Pearson

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