In April of the following year, 1782, Barney was again afloat in command of a privateer, the _Hyder Ali_ (spelt _HydeA lly_ in Mr. Maclay's book), fitted out, by merchants of Philadelphia, with sixteen 6-pounder guns and a crew of 110. In this vessel he fought a remarkable and successful action against the _General Monk_, a British man-of-war, of alleged superior force, though this is not borne out by British accounts. She was formerly the _General Washington_, was captured by a British squadron in 1780, and renamed upon being added to the British Navy. She was commanded on this occasion by Commander Josias Rogers, an officer of great courage and resource, and was armed with sixteen 9-pounder carronades and two 6-pounders. A 9-pounder carronade was a foolish little piece, very short, and addicted to jumping violently and capsizing when it became at all hot: and it would be quite outranged by a long 6-or 9-pounder. We are not told, either in the British or American account, the tonnage of the two vessels, but in the latter the _General Monk_ is described as being pierced for twenty guns: and in the former the _Hyder Ali_ is said to have carried eighteen guns, 6-and 9-pounders (proportion of each not stated), while her crew is put down as 130 men. Dropping down the river Delaware with several merchant vessels under convoy, Barney had reached Cape May Roads, just inside Delaware Bay, where he anchored, and was there discovered by a blockading squadron under Captain Mason, of the _Quebec_ frigate. Sending Rogers in to reconnoitre, and, if possible, attack, Mason endeavoured to sail a little higher up the bay, to prevent the American vessels running for the Delaware River, while Rogers, engaging the assistance of the _Fair American_, a privateer, went straight for the convoy. No sooner had he rounded Cape May, in sight of the Americans, than Barney, signalling his convoy to run for the river--the _Quebec_ not having yet got far enough up to head them off, on account of the shoal water--endeavoured to put his ship in the way of the pursuers. The _Fair American_ ran past him, with a broadside which was not returned, captured one vessel, chased another on shore, and then, in the endeavour to cut off three others, ran aground herself. This cleared the field for a duel between the _General Monk_ and the _Hyder Ali_, and they had a very pretty fight.