The Washington herald., 1909-03-22

Editor The Washington Herald:
For the moment. propose 70 concen-
trate attention on the specific assertions
of the illustrious James Feninore Cooper.
the distinguished Charles A. Dana. late
editor-in-chief and former owner OF the
New York Sun; George Ripley. formerly
literary editor Of the New York Tribune.
and OF the eminent Dr. Benjamin Rush.
Of Philadelphia, as relates 70 the authentic
naval record Of John Barry. the father of
the American navy, whose zeal for his
country is as unmistakable as Il was un-
alloyed
In the history Of the United States navy
BY j. Fenimore Cooper himself mid
shipman In the navy. attaining the rank
OF lieutenant, and acquiring an expert
ence which he found most useful in his
literary career. published in 1893, the fol-
lowing abstracts are taken from the data
which appears in Volume I:
by a resolution passed April Il, 1776.
Congress had declared that rank should
not be regulated by the data of the
original appointments. reserving TO itself
the power to say who should command.
when il was ascertained who were dis
posed TO serve. But il had declared the
nation independent OF Great Britain. and
there was a long and bloody war in per-
spective before that independence could
be recognized. II was time 70 reduce the
confused elements Of the service 70 order,
and TO quiet 5he disputes and claims or
individuals by an exercise OF sovereign
power. A resolution was accordingly
passed on October 10. Int. directing that
the captains In the navy should take rank
In the following order, viz:
Il James Nicholson: ? John Manly: g. Hector
Mcneil; l. Dudley SaltOnstal!: s. Nicholas Biddle.
6, Thomas Thonpson; :. John Barry. S Thomas
Read; g. Thomas Grennall: 10. Charles Alexander.
Il Lambert Wicses, Y. Abraham Whipple; IS.
John B. Hopkins. Il. John Hodge: Is. William
Hallock; t. Hoysted Hacker: Y. Isaiah Robinson:
ls, John Paul Jones. l9. James Josiah; %. Elisha
Hnman p. Joseph Olney. 2. James Robinson;
2. John Young; p. Elisha Warner
For the first regular cruise that ever
got to sea under the new government we
must refer to the Lexington. fourteen
guns, a little brig. the command of which
had been given 70 John Barry, a ship
master Of Philadelphia Of credit and skill.
The honor has long been claimed for
Capt. Barry, and on close examination OF
the facts as our means will allow, We be-
lieve IL his due. The Lexington must
have left the Capes of the Delaware late
in January or early in February. 177s,
and her orders were 10 cruise south
ward"
''As an Offset TO the escape Of the Brit
ish ship Glasgow, twenty guns. from
Commodore Tompkins' squadron. the Lex
ington, Capt. Barry. a small brig of four
teen four-pOunders. fell in with the Ed
ward, an armored tender Of the Liver
pool. on the 18th day OF April of the
Capes Of Virginia. and after a close and
spirited action Of near an hour captured
her"
Put on Regular List.
capt. Barry was placed on the regu-
lated list in October, 1776. as the seventh
captain and appointed 10 the command
OF the Efinghsm. twenty-eight guns.
then building al Philadelphia The Efing-
ham was one OF the vessels (uncompleted)
that had been taken up the Delaware TO
escape the British army. This gallant
officer. wearied with a life Of inactivity.
planned An expedition down the stream.
I'm hope of striking a blow at some OF
the enemy's vessels anchored of or be-
low the town. Manning four boats
taoats). he pulled down with the tide.
Some alarm was given when opposite the
past without injury The schooner was
boarded and carried without loss. and the
transports fell into the hands OF the
Americans also Two cruisers appearing
soon in the river. however. Capt Barry
destroyed his prizes and escaped by land
without losing a man
In consequence Of the investigation
connected with the loss OF the Alfred. or
at the time that Capt Thompson was
relieved from the command Of the Raj
eigh. thirty-two guns. that ship was given
10 Capt. Barry. Under orders OF the new
commander. the Raleigh sailed from Bos-
ton on September =. IFS having a brig
and sloop under convoy"
The command Of the Alliance. thirty
two guns. was given 10 capt. Barry the
officer who had made so gallant a resist
ance in the Raleigh. In February. 1TS1.
Capt Barry sailed from Boston for
France in command OF this ship, with
Col Laurens on board. After landins
Col. LauTens, the frigate sailed from
L'Orient on a cruise with the Marquis de
"a Fayette forty guns. in company. bound
10 America with stores Three days aft
erward they fell IN with and captured
two Guernsey privateers. one Of which.
the Mars. is said 10 have been a heavy
vessel Of twenty-siX guns and 112 men;
the other. the Minerva, 10 have had an
armament OF ten guns and crew or
ffty-f1ve souls After this success the |
Alliance parted company with her con- |
sort and the prizes and continued TO
cruise.
AT daylight several DAYS later two |
ships were seen with English colors fly
ing. For more than an hour the Alliance /
Fought 70 great disadvantage. Capt Barry /
received a grape shot through his shoul- /
n
manly resistance both the English yes /
sells in the end were compelled to haul 1
down their colors.
The prizes proved to be the Atalanta, !
sixteen guns, capt Edwards. with 4
crew OF 80 men, and the Trepassv. four
teen guns Capt Smith. with a crew OF I
eighty men. The Alliance lost with I'm
punity. having eleven killed and twenty
one wounded. The Atalanta was later /
captured by the enemy's squadron cruis-
ing or Boston"
THE Alliance. Capt. Barry. was much
employed in 17S2"
The Executive was no sooner author
lied 10 proceed by law, March q, than
measures were taken to build new YES
sells ordered
In selecting commanders for these
ships President Washington naturally
turned 20 the old officers who had proved 4
themselves fit The following is the list |
selected, which took rank in the order
In which their names appear viz. John /
Barry, Samuel Nicholson. Silas Talbot.
Joshua Barney. Richard Dale. and |
Thomas Truxtun"
Capt Barry was the only one Of the
six who was not born in America At
the close Of the year 17sS the active forces
IN the West Indies had been distributed
into four separate squadrons One squad
ron was under Commodore Barry. who.