John Barry: Father of the American Navy

• John Barry was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1745 and died in Philadelphia on 13 September 1803.
• Barry offered his services to the Continental Congress when hostilities began between England and the American colonies.
• His ship, Black Prince, was bought by the colonial government and renamed Alfred.
• On 3 December 1775, John Paul Jones was present when Alfred raised the American (Grand Union) flag for the first time in Philadelphia.
• On 7 December 1775, Captain Barry received command of Lexington.
• Lexington sailed on 31 March 1776.
• Lexington encountered Edward off the Virginia Capes on 7 April 1776, which was a British man-of-war Liverpool tender.
• After a 1 hour 20 minute fight, Edward was seized and delivered to Philadelphia as a prize.
• Until 18 October 1776, Barry remained in command of Lexington, capturing numerous private armed ships.
• On 6 June 1776, the Continental Congress appointed him to Effingham.
• On 10 October 1776, Congress defined the Continental Navy officers' relative rank and named John Barry as number 7 on the list of captains.
• In December 1776, Barry recruited a company of volunteers for land service and fought in the Battle of Trenton.
• General Washington commended Barry and the Marines who worked alongside his volunteers.
• Barry served as an aide to General Cadwalader and was frequently dispatched as a courier of significant messages.
• Assisting in the defense of Philadelphia and operations in the upper Delaware was his next assignment.
• Captain Barry was commanded to transport the unfinished Continental frigate Effingham up the Delaware River to a secure location after the British took possession of Philadelphia in September 1777.
• The ship was ordered to be sunk or burned in October to prevent its use by the British and it was sunk on 2 November close to Bordentown, New Jersey.
• On 7 March 1778, Barry seized the armed schooner Alert and two ships carrying supplies for the British Army.
• Barry then took command of Raleigh and set sail from Boston on 25 September 1778, which led to a pursuit and attack by three of His Britannic Majesty's ships two days later.
• After a nine-hour running battle, he was compelled to run Raleigh aground on an island near the mouth of Penobscot Bay, but most of his crew escaped to the continent.
• Barry was highly praised for his valor, despite losing his ship.
• The privateer Delaware became Barry's next ship in November 1780, and he was ordered to command Alliance which would take John Laurens, Special Commissioner, to France.
• The ship did not depart until 11 February 1781 because of crew acquisition issues but on the way to France, she seized the Privateer Alert.
• Alliance also captured the privateers Mars and Minerva on the return voyage.
• Barry captured H.B.M.S. Atlanta and later Trepassy on May 29, 1781, following hours of fighting and was wounded during the engagement with Atlanta.
• Barry remained in command of Alliance and seized numerous prizes in 1782.
• Barry battled the British man-of-war Sybille in Alliance in March 1783, during the Revolutionary War's final naval engagement.
• He had to give up his prize in order to elude the rest of the British squadron, despite the ship surrendering to him.
• Barry was escorting Duc de Lauzane transporting goods and cash from the West Indies, which was enabled to escape and reach port safely because of his conduct, during the combat with Sybylle.
• After the Revolutionary War, Captain Barry made several trips on merchant ships.
• Captain Barry was named number one on the list of captains on 5 June 1794, following the reorganization of the Navy.
• General Washington signed his commission on 22 February 1797.
• He was instructed to oversee and take command of the frigate United States upon completion and was actively involved in the Naval War with France, 1798–1801 and in capturing a number of French ships in the West Indies.
• United States was brought to Washington under the Department of the Navy's direction, where she was laid up.
• Barry's active duty came to an end with this; in 1801-1802, he evaluated government cannon and was chosen to lead the Mediterranean Squadron, but was too sick to accept.
• He passed away close to Philadelphia at his country house, Strawberry Hill.

Discover the story of John Barry, born in Ireland and later known as the Father of the American Navy. Learn about his naval career, command of the Lexington, and contributions to the Continental Navy during the American Revolution.