The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-05-07
Recommending That Bill Providing For Erec.
ton Of Monument to Commodore
Barry Be Passed.
The Next Session Will Provide the Means
to Commemorate the Work of the
Father of our Navy"

Speaking of this selection, Bailey's
American Naval Biography says:
4At this interesting crisis y
it became important to select officers
whose valor and discretion, whose ex-
perience and skill, could give the ut
most efficiency to our insignificant
means of defense and annoyance. Tue
rare union in Commodore Barry of
these qualities recommended him to
the notice of congress. *'
Of Barry, it was said that when he
entered the service of the colonies che
gave up the command of the finest
ship, and gave up the best employment
in America"
With the Lexington, Barry put to
sea, and in Preble's Origin of the Flag
it was declared that his "was the first
vessel. that bore the Continental flag
to victory on the ocean," His prize,
the Edward, he brought on April II,
1776, into the port Of Philadelphia, Civ
ing pride and encouragement to the
patriots, which caused John Adams to
write, "We begin to make some little
figure in the navy way"
-1arry's old employer, Robert Nor
ris, 'the financier Of the Revolution"
was the active spirit of the marine
committee. Under his direction. Barry
was to "assist in taking, sinking, and
destroying the enemy"
so we'll did he perform his work
that Henry Fisher wrote to the COM
mittee of safety of Pennsylvania:
"Last evening the Kingfsher British
man-of-waD returned to our road with
a prize brigantine, Captain Walker, of
Wilmington, but, luckily for us, be-
fore the pirate boarded her, our brave
Captain Barry had been on board OF
her and taken out the powder and
arms.'
caesar Rodney wrote, August 8
1776, yesterday came to town an arm
ed vessel, taken by Captain Barry al
sea;' and Josiah Bartlett wrote to Johr
Langdon, of New Hampshire, "Cap
tain Barry, in the Lexington, has taker
and sent in here privateer Of six
gun carriage guns commanded by an
other of those famous Goodriches Of
Virginia" .....
But Barry was as valiant on land az
on sea, and on the gloomy Christmas
eve of 1916 rendered valiant service
in transporting the Continental army
across the ice-blocked Delaware, ant
served with honor and distinction il
the victories of Trenton and Princeton
1t was Barry who devised the pla1
of filling kegs with gunpowder ant
sending them down from Bordentow1
to spread CONSERVATION by explodin.
against the warships and firing tn
wharves of the city. This incident il
known as "the battle Of the kegs"
Barry's new ship, the Efforgham
having been destroyed by a British
land force at it's moorings in the uppel
Delaware, he employed himself ii
banging the enemy on land, and OF
February 26, 1878, reported to Wash
ington: According to the orders O
General Wayne, nave destroyed 4Ot
tons of the enemy's forage"
In Abbot's D4ue Jackets Of '76 Il
recounted the story of how Barry, will
2l men, in open rowboats, captured II
the Delaware the British war vesse
Alert, Of 10 guns, With convoys. ant
took more than $50 prisoners. Frost
Naval Biography said of this achieve
ment that 'for boldness Of design ant
dexterity of execution it was not sur
passed, if equaled, during the war.
Part of the stores captured on this oc
casion Barry forwarded to Washing
ton at Valley Forge, and from hin
received tile reply:
. II congratulate you on the success
which has crowned your gallantry an
address in the late attack on the enc
my's ships. . You will b
pleased to accept my thanks for tn
good things which you were so polit
. as to send to me, with my wishes tina
!. 4 suitable recompense may always al
tend your bravery"