Posted on 06/05/2010 7:42:38 AM PDT by Pharmboy
Most of the heroes in the Revolutionary War, from Washington down to the humblest recruit shivering through the winter at Valley Forge, fought on the land. The tiny, hastily formed Continental Navy—consisting mainly of improvised small craft and converted merchantmen—had to content itself with pinprick raids on enemy commercial shipping or coastal targets and occasional small-scale actions against lesser British military craft, never ships of the line in battle array.
Only two American naval officers, both foreign-born, emerged from the Revolutionary War with true hero status, and only one of them, John Paul Jones, is widely remembered today. A vain but valorous bantam of a man, Jones was born to humble Scottish parents and went to sea at 12, working his way up through the ranks of the merchant marine but finding his true métier as a bold, shrewd naval warrior.
The other American naval hero shared Jones's Celtic roots and humble origins, and also went to sea as a boy. As Tim McGrath makes clear in "John Barry: An American Hero in the Age of Sail," the odds that Barry overcame on his way to the top were, if anything, even more daunting than those faced by Jones. After all, Jones was a Protestant Scot; Barry was a disenfranchised Irish Catholic, born to poor tenant farmers in County Wexford in 1745. What little book learning he acquired was at a government-sanctioned "charter school" that offered Catholic children ages 6-10 a basic education in hopes of converting them to the Anglican-allied Church of Ireland.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Mark
The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list
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for reference — another must read
Might I propose a third? Benedict Arnold [Valcour Island].
bookmark
bttt
Most of the US effort on sea during the Revolutionary War was by privateers. When the Continental Navy had 5 ships, there were over 1000 privateers, creating great damage to British shipping. They also suffered very significant casualties. Many of the survivors, and their financiers did very well, notably the Brown family of Rhode Island.
...of University fame.
Many thanks. That’s a book I plan to read.
John Barry (March 25, 1745 – September 13, 1803) was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. He is often credited as "The Father of the American Navy". Barry was born in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland and appointed a Captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775.
On October 31, 1768, Barry married Mary Cleary, who died in 1774. On July 7, 1777, he married Sarah Austin, daughter of Samuel Austin and Sarah Keen of New Jersey. Barry had no children, but he helped raise Patrick and Michael Hayes, children of his sister, Eleanor, and her husband, Thomas Hayes, who both died in the 1780s.
Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day Philadelphia on September 13, 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Center City, Philadelphia.
On the first list of Rank, Barry was not on it. Fortunately the Navy found more ships and posted a new list in which Barry was 7th out of 24. He commanded the Lexington, Raleigh, and Alliance. He and his crew of the Alliance fought and won the final naval battle of the American Revolution off the coast of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 1783. He was seriously wounded on May 29, 1781, while in command of Alliance during her capture of HMS Atalanta and Trepassey. Barry was successful in suppressing three mutinies during his career as an officer in the Continental Navy.
Captain Barry was given command of Lexington, of 14 guns, on December 7, 1775. The Lexington sailed March 31, 1776. On April 7, 1776, off the Capes of Virginia, he fell in with the Edward, tender to the British man-of-war HMS Liverpool (1758), and after a desperate fight of one hour and twenty minutes captured her and brought her into Philadelphia. Barry continued in command of Lexington until October 18, 1776, and captured several private armed vessels during that time.
John Barry was once offered $100,000 British pounds and command of any Frigate in the entire British navy if he would desert the American Navy. Outraged at the offer, Captain Barry responded that not all the money in the British treasury or command of its entire fleet could tempt him to desert his adopted country.[1]
He was still in command of the Alliance when it participated in the last battle of the Revolutionary War.[2]
Appointed senior captain upon the establishment of the U.S. Navy, he commanded the frigate United States in the Quasi-War with France. Barry authored a Signal Book published in 1780 to improve communications at sea among vessels traveling in formation.[3]
On February 22, 1797, he was issued Commission Number 1 by President George Washington, backdated to June 4, 1794. His title was thereafter "Commodore." He is recognized as not only the first American commissioned naval officer but also as its first flag officer.[4]
Barry's last day of active duty was March 6, 1801, when he brought the USS United States into port, but he remained head of the Navy until his death on September 12, 1803, from asthma.
Commemorations:
Statues:
Barry and John Paul Jones on a U.S. postage stamp
There is also a historical marker and cannon monument at the Port Authority Admin building at Port Canaveral, commemorating the Last Naval Battle of the American Revolution. Then Capt. John Barry sailed the Continental Navy ship Alliance to victory, saving the transport ship that Barry was escorting to Philadelphia with specie for the empty Treasury coffers (some things never change). The battle occurred 3/4 mile offshore of Canaveral on March 10, 1783. An annual re-dedication ceremony is held on the first Saturday in March at the Port, 10 AM.
Your Obdt. Svt.,
P______y
See also Commodore John Barry, United States Navy, American Revolutionary War Military Leader
I wonder how many of the tourists who set sail from Port Canaveral aboard the cruise ships realize they’re sailing the waters in which the last naval engagement of the Revolution took place. Not very many I’m betting.
Vary interesting. Thanks.
Brevard County, Florida ping.has there ever been a naval ship named after this guy or john paul jones?
Exactly so. Between the time of the Revolutionary Privateers, and the University, they also made BIG MONEY in the slave trade. hey, what do you do with a fleet of ships...
John Brown who was captured by Colonel RE Lee, US Army with his aid, Captain J.E.B. Stuart, US Army and a company of Marines, was of the wing that disagreed with the slave trade. The Civil War in small scale.
There’s another guy made to look older than he could’ve been in the war.
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