The Irish standard., 1906-05-26

Barry had been a, sea but few
hours when the British ships appeared.
He made every effort To escape. recos-
uizing that his little craft could have
no chance against the big craft uf the
enemy. He would undoubtedly have
got away in safety had the wind held,
but it failed when he most needed it,
and off the coast of Maine the Unicorn
came within broatsidc distance
At the second fire Burry's ship lost
its forctopmast and mizzentopgalant
mast. and hence was at a disadvantage
in the ln;,nuruvers Of the ensuing en-
counter.
but Barry resolved on a bold ex-
lcdicnt ana going bravely at the Uni
corn, had the audacity to attempt to
board her, his plan being to capture
the Unicorn and fight the Experiment
with it's sister ship.
1t is no dsrredit that the plan failed,
for the crew of the enemy were greater
ana the ship was uninjured. and hence
able [" manOeuvre rapidly. Barry
continued the attempt seven hours,
and the Experiment catching up he
was forced to flight and to the coast.
Tho fire Of the enemy raked him
from stem to stern, and the badly in
iurcd Raleigh finally grounded. but the
impcrturbablc Barry, fors;lking the
sailors element. took to land and
escaped with his crew.
Washington. while regrctting the
loss of the Raleigh. had nothing but
praise for the way Barry had pursued
the unequal battle and saved his men
under apparently hopeless conditions.
HIS GREATEST BATTLE
Barry made several voyages to the
West Indies on letters Of mnrque YES
sells, and in 1881 was in command of
Colonel John I.aurcns to France on his
important mission. On his return he
sailed with the Marquis dc Lafayette,
and tn" two vessels together made n
iluIIlI"I OI captures.
II was after the two ships parted
company that Barry fought the great
battle of his cnrccr--the contest be-
tween the Alliance on the Continental
side ana the Atlanta and Trepassy for
the British.
Al the beginning of the battle the
lar l.l1 In, Il
not bring her broadsidc to bear The
tw" British ships poured fire into her,
and early in the engagement Captain
Barry was carried below wounded in
he shoulder by grapeshOt. The
flag OF the Alliance was shot away
ana the crew of the enemy began
cheering at the prospect of q certain
victory.
Barry lying wounded in the cock
pit declined to listen to any proposition
to surrender.
IF the ship can't he fought without
it," he said. "I'II be carried on deck"
His bravery stirred his crew They
cheered wildly the bloody figure car
rled on deck. II new flag was hOisted,
and the American shot was sent rip
ping into the enemy afresh Then
nature came to the aid of the sorely
pressed Americans. A breeze sprang
up and gave the Alliance chance to
shift and use her guns. The Ameri-
cans then fought with such unparal-
leled vigOr that the two British ships
were forced to surrender, and the cap
tains were brought prisoners to Barry's
stateroom. ...
1t was the Alliance that was chosen
to take Lafayette and lie Noquilles
back to France, and Benjamin Frank
lin wrote q resolution of thanks to thu
commander.
On the revival of the American Navy
in 1894 preparatory to the struggle
with the Barbary powers, Captain
Barry was named the senior of six to
command the new frigates called into
the service.
He served till. at the age of fifty
eight, he died in Philadelphia, in 1903,
of an asthmatic affection.
HUMBLE TOMB IN CHURCHYARD
Captain Barry's body lies in the
venerable st. Mary's churchyard, in
this city.