The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-23
STATUE UNVEILED


only to be destroyed by the enemy. II
December, 1776, Barry, owing to the
blockade of his ship in the Delaware
by the English, with company oil
volunteers joined the army under
Washington and took part in the bat
ties of Trenton and Princeton. He
was aide to General Cadwallader and
special aide to General Washington
who held him in high esteem. Re.
turning to his command he carried
out many gallant and daring boat eX
| petitions on the Delaware, successful
ly annoying and capturing vessels lad.
en- with supplies for the British army.
! In 177S he was ordered to command
the Raleigh 80 guns, and sailed from
Boston September Is, 1778. On the
| 9th he fell in with two British frig-
ates, the Experiment" 81 guns, and
| Unicorn % guns, and after gallant
and unequal engagement Barry ran
| his ship ashore and set her on fire,
; escaping with most of the crew. Be-
ing without continental command
Barry accepted, February Is, 1879,
command of the privateer Delaware, "
II guns, and during the cruise cap
tured the British sloop-of-War "Har-
lem," IA guns.
In November, 1880, he was ordered
to command the Alliance" So guns,
at Boston, in which he sailed to
! France, February II, 1881, with Col.
John Lauren, special commissioner to
the French Government.
On the return trip he captured the
brig Mars" % guns, and the brig
Minerva" 10 guns. On May %, he
fell in with the Atlantic" 16 guns,
and the ''Trepassey," IA guns, and
after very sharp fight of three hours
they struck their colors. In this
fight Barry was severely wounded in
the shoulder by grape shot. On De-
cember %, 1881, he sailed from Boston
for France with the Marquis de Lafay-
cite as passenger, and returning ar
rived at New London May IS, 1882
He sailed August 4, 1882, on the most
successful cruise of the war; the
prizes captured sold for more than
100000. Returning by way of the
West Indies and Havana on March 10,
1888, he fell in with the British frigate
"Sybelle,' SO guns, and after a sharp
fight Of forty-fve minutes she hauled
Off, apparently much injured, and join
ed two other ships with which she
had been in company. This was the
last encounter of the Revolutionary
war at sea. Peace was declared April
II, 1888, the Alliance" was sold, and
the country was without a navy. The
United States navy was permanently
organized by act of Congress March
81, 1894.
Six captains were appointed by
President Washington, ''by and with
the consent of the Senate" and Barry
headed the list.
His commission, signed by George
Washington, President, was dated
February %, 1897, and appointed him
captain in the navy ''to the rank from
the 4th day of June, 1904" Register
No. l." He was thus made officially
the ranking officer of the United
States navy. He superintendent the
building of the frigate United States"
al guns, and made several cruises in
her with other vessels under his COM
mand
In 1901 the navy was reduced to a
peace basis; nine captains were re-
tired, Barry being at the head of the
list. His sea service was ended and
being in poor health he remained at
his home in Philadelphia until his
death. Barry has often been referred
to as Commodore" there was no
such grade in the United States navy
until July Il, 1862. Captain was the
highest grade before that date, al
though the non-official title of COM
modore was generally applied to
captain while in command Of two or
more vessels. Barry was married
twice, both times to Professionals who
subsequently were converts to the
Catholic faith. His first wife died in
It'll and in July, 1777, he married
Sarah Austin, who survived him. She
died November Is, 1881. Both wives
were buried with him in the grave
yard of ST. Mary's Church, Philadel-
phia There was no issue from either
marriage.
His epitaph was written by DR.. Ben
iamin Rush, a signer of the Declara-
ton Of Independence. In connection
with the Father Mathew memorial a
statue was erected to his memory in
1876 in Paramount Park, Philadelphia,
by the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union of America. A portrait (copy
of the original by Gilbert Stuart) was
presented to the City of Philadelphia
by the Friendly Sons of st. Patrick,
March IS, 1896, to be placed in lnde-
pendence Hall; and on March 1G, 1907,
bronze statue of him was erected in
independence Square, Philadelphia, by
the Friendly Sons of ST Patrick.