The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Commodore John Barry - Aug. 9th, 2003

ushistory.org ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

God Bless America
...................................................................................... ...........................................

.

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

.

.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

.

.

.

Commodore John Barry
(1745-1803)

.

"Father of the American Navy"
Few Americans are well-acquainted with the gallantry and heroic exploits of Philadelphia's Irish-born naval commander, Commodore John Barry. Obscured by his contemporary, naval commander John Paul Jones, Barry remains to this day an unsung hero of the young American Republic. As most naval historians note, Barry can be classed on a par with Jones for nautical skill and daring, but he exceeds him in the length of service (17 years) to his adopted country and his fidelity to the nurturing of a permanent American Navy. Indeed, Barry deserves the proud epithet, "Father of the American Navy," a title bestowed on him not by current generations of admirers, but by his contemporaries, who were in the best position to judge.



In the space of 58 years, this son of a poor Irish farmer rose from humble cabin boy to senior commander of the entire United States fleet. Intrepid In battle, he was humane to his men as well as adversaries and prisoners. Barry's war contributions are unparalleled: he was the first to capture a British war vessel on the high seas; he captured two British ships after being severely wounded in a ferocious sea battle; he quelled three mutinies; he fought on land at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton; he captured over 20 ships including an armed British schooner in the lower Delaware; he authored a Signal Book which established a set of signals used for effective communication between ships; and he fought the last naval battle of the American Revolution aboard the frigate Alliance in 1783.

Early Years

John Barry was born in a modest thatched cottage in 1745 at Ballysampson on Our Lady's Island, which is part of Tacumshin Parish in County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford, at the southeasternmost part of Ireland, has always had a strong maritime tradition. Yet Barry's father was a poor tenant farmer who was evicted by his British landlord. The family was forced to relocate to the village of Rosslare.

At Rosslare, the youth's uncle, Nicholas Barry, was captain of a fishing skiff, and the young man determined at an early age to follow his uncle to sea. Barry started out as a ship's cabin boy, and graduated from seaman to able seaman and ultimately, a Mate's rating. Barry grew to be a tall, muscular, well-respected seaman. A salient event which occurred in Barry's youth led to a lifelong enmity of oppression and the British. At a young age Barry learned of the massacre of some 3,000 Wexfordians under an invading force led by Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

His First Command

Barry's first command came in 1766 aboard the schooner, Barbadoes, sailing out of Philadelphia, which Barry adopted as his home port. Barry had good reason to make Philadelphia his new home. William Penn's legacy of religious freedom allowed Roman Catholics, which Barry was, greater latitude of worship than most anywhere else in the Colonies. Further, the city was emerging as a great maritime trade center. Its growing population, which exceeded 30,000 by the start of the Revolution, hungered for imported goods brought in by ships piloted by captains such as Barry. Plying back and forth between Philadelphia and the West Indies, Barry gained his early skills of command at the helm of several merchant ships.


Minature portrait painted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, possibly by Gilbert Stuart. It appears to show Barry as a young man.

In the West Indies trade, Barry honed his nautical skills making at least nine round trips without a single mishap. Philadelphians came to like "Big John" Barry due to his reliability, personable nature and his success in the merchant shipping business. His next command, the Patty and Polly, was a small brigantine which he took on but a single voyage. Shortly after, Barry took command of the Industry, a 45-ton vessel which he described as a "good schooner."

By 1772, Barry's abilities as a shipmaster had come to the attention of one of Philadelphia's premier mercantile houses, Meredith and Clymer. Reese Meredith recognized Barry's ability by assigning him command of the vessel Peg, quite a plum for a young captain. About the time colonial difficulties with the mother country necessitated the convening of the First Continental Congress in 1774, Barry began a lifelong friendship and collaboration with the Revolutionary financier, Robert Morris. Barry's last pre-revolutionary sailing experience came in the service of Morris, who was a partner in Philadelphia's top merchant shipping firm, Willing, Morris and Cadwalader. Barry was assigned to their sleek 200-ton ship, Black Prince. It was aboard Black Prince on a return voyage from England that Barry made the amazing and unparalleled record of travelling 237 miles by dead reckoning in a 24 hour period -- the fastest day of sailing recorded in the 18th century.

The Private Barry

In private life, Barry's world was twice darkened by tragic events. First was the premature death of his first wife, Mary Clary (or Cleary), whom he had married at Philadelphia's Old St. Joseph's chapel on October 31, 1767. Mary's death on February 9, 1774, at 29 years of age, grieved him all the more since he was at sea when her passing occurred. The second tragedy was the disappearance at sea of Barry's brother and fellow mariner Patrick Barry. Patrick's ship, the Union, a letter of marquee vessel, sailed from Bordeaux, France, in August of 1778, and was never heard from again.



Barry was consoled by his second marriage, this time to the socially popular and attractive Sarah Keen Austin, nicknamed "Sally" by her friends. Sally Austin and John Barry were married on July 7, 1777, in Old Christ Church by the Reverend William White, rector and founder of the American Episcopal Church. Sarah, an Episcopalian, eventually converted to Barry's Roman Catholic faith. The Barrys were regular parishioners at several Philadelphia Catholic churches: Old St. Joseph's, Old St. Mary's and eventually, St. Augustine's. The Barrys had no children; however, they happily raised two boys from Barry's deceased sister Eleanor's household.

Sarah's nephews from Ireland, Michael and Patrick Hayes, were brought to Philadelphia by Captain John Rosseter on his ship, the Rising Sun. Rosseter was a neighbor of the Barry family in Ireland, and the captain also wound up living on the same street as John Barry in Philadelphia. His close association with the Barrys continued even in death, as the Rosseter plot lies next to the Barry plot in Old St. Mary's churchyard.

[snippy_about_it]

I keep hearing from a lot of people that it's always raining or thunderstroming.

Nope, it really is raining more, at least more frequent for this time of year. This is like a continuation of spring storms except now we have the added heat and humidity.

I know it's more than usual here in the Ohio Valley and I think in the East, too.

[Soaring Feather]

Hi Snippy, Sam, Darksheare,


It rained in the early morning hours in my neck of the woods. Clear now going to 77 F this afternoon.

Just got off the phone with my brother in MO. They are having a drought in his neck of the woods. He has lost many of his tomato plants even though he has watered well. He had something like 75 plants. Many other veggies as well, gives most of the stuff away.

[E.G.C.]

We got half an inch from this morning's showers and thunderstorms

[snippy_about_it]

Isn't that the way it always is, feast or famine. Too much rain here, not enough somewhere else.

[SAMWolf]

See what I mean and we haven't been getting any. Weird.

[SAMWolf]

Our Military Today
Farewell to the "CONNIE"

Sailors aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) lower the colors for the last time during the ship's decommissioning ceremony. The ceremony, held at Naval Air Station North Island, marked the end of the ship's nearly 42 years of service to the nation. During Constellation’s commissioned service, she completed 21 deployments and most recently completed combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Constellation, decommissioned in San Diego at the Naval Air Station North Island, will be towed to Bremerton, Wash., where she will remain in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Constellation is the second oldest aircraft carrier in the Navy and one of only three remaining conventionally powered aircraft carriers in its arsenal. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Charles E. Alvarado. (RELEASED)


Sailors aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) render honors with the playing of the National Anthem during the decommissioning ceremony for Constellation.


Sailors aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) lower the colors for the last time during the ships decommissioning ceremony.


Capt. John Miller, Commanding Officer of USS Constellation (CV 64), presents the opening remarks during the ship’s decommissioning ceremony.


Sailors aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) render honors with the playing of the National Anthem and color guard presentation during the ship’s decommissioning ceremony.


Sailors aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) man the rails during the ship’s decommissioning ceremony. The ceremony, held at Naval Air Station North Island, marked the end of the carriers nearly 42 years of service to the nation.


Sailors disembark USS Constellation (CV 64) during the ship’s decommissioning ceremony.


A three-plane formation of F/A-18 Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron Three Two Three (VMFA-323) conducts a flyover of USS Constellation (CV 64) during the ships decommissioning ceremony.


USS Constellation (CV 64) Commanding Officer, Captain John W. Miller, is presented the ships Commissioning Pennant by Command Master Chief Mark D. Hayes during the ships decommissioning ceremony.

[snippy_about_it]

Sad to see her decommissioned. Nice pictures though.

[SAMWolf]

It's good to know that she's being replaced though (by the USS RONALD REAGAN).

[Victoria Delsoul]

Happy Saturday all!

click on the graphic

[snippy_about_it]

Nice graphic Victoria, twist and shout, good song.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Snippy. How are ya? I don't see Sam around.

[snippy_about_it]

He's around. He just posted about an hour ago. He's changing the oil in his wife's car this afternoon. He'll certainly drop in later. Not to worry.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Working on cars, huh? hehe. OK, thanks Snippy.

[colorado tanker]

Sam, this landlubber is one who didn't know about Commodore Barry. His story is very apt for the young American Navy. Barry could never have gotten a commission in the Royal Navy (except for their attempt to keep him out of the U.S. Navy) due to his religion and class, but in America he could rise to the top on his ability.

Sorry to see the Connie go, but I'm incredibly proud of the Reagan. I flew over Hampton Roads last spring and saw the two carriers under construction. It was eerie, though, because the rest of the Roads were practically empty of Navy ships; they were all deployed.

Some relief from the drought here last night. We got an inch of rain in about 20 minutes.

[SAMWolf]

Afternoon Victoria. You been busy the last couple of days?

[SAMWolf]

Sam, this landlubber is one who didn't know about Commodore Barry.

I'm in the same boat, until I started looking up info on him he was just a name I had heard. I always thought John Paul Jones was the "Father of the Navy". I've never seen a carrier in person. One of these days I'll get to a Navy Base on the Ocean. So far I've only spent time at Great Lakes, not a ship in sight there.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hey, there you are! Yeah, I had a lot of fun.

I'm in and out posting a little bit, hope to see ya later.

[colorado tanker]

A carrier in port really is an awesome sight. In San Diego you can drive over to Coronado Island and get a pretty good view.

[SAMWolf]

I may have to make a trip to San Diego. I'm not getting any younger.

[colorado tanker]

If you go down to San Diego and over to Coronado, be sure to stop in the Del Coronado. It's the beautiful old hotel where "Some Like It Hot" was filmed. Nice food there too.