The Story of Commodore John BarryGriffin, Martin I. J. (Martin Ignatius Joseph)
History
The Story of Commodore John Barry
Griffin, Martin I. J. (Martin Ignatius Joseph)
Barry, John, 1745-1803
The alarm came to Philadelphia. Shops were shut, schools closed and the
inhabitants engaged solely in providing for the defense of the City, now
the aim of the enemy. But out of all this gloom and alarm came the
victory at Trenton.
Captain John Barry organized a company of volunteers and went to
Washington's assistance. In cooperation with the marines under Captain
William Brown, he lent efficient service in transporting Washington's
army across the Delaware prior to the Battle of Trenton. Captain Barry
acted as an aide to General Cadwallader, and on one occasion, of which
there is record, as an aide to Washington in the safe conduct to
Philadelphia of the baggage of the captured Hessians and also of the
surgeons and physicians to Princeton.
After the Trenton campaign and its consequent successful results,
Captain Barry returned to Philadelphia and engaged in naval preparations
for the defense of the city. He was the Senior Commander of the Navy in
the Port of Philadelphia.
In July, 1777, twelve of the lieutenants of the fleet under Barry struck
for an increase of pay and allowances. They notified Captain Barry they
would not act on board any vessel until their grievances were redressed.
Barry informed the Marine Committee. It reported the affair to Congress,
saying that such a combination of officers was of the "most dangerous
tendency." Whereupon the Congress dismissed all of the lieutenants and
declared their commissions "void and of no effect." The offenders were
declared incapable of holding any commission under the United States and
recommending the several States not to employ any in offices civil or
military. This brought the lieutenants to "acknowledge in the most
explicit manner that the offense for which they were dismissed is highly
reprehensible and could not be justified under any circumstances or any
pretence whatever, and that they were exceedingly sorry for the rashness
which betrayed them into such behavior." Then the strikers were
"restored to former rank and command."
[Illustration: MISS ELIZABETH ADAMS BARNES
Great-Great-Grandniece of Commodore Barry; who christened "The Barry"
Boat March 22, 1902]
CHAPTER V.
THE BRITISH CAPTURE PHILADELPHIA--ACTIVITY OF BARRY--COMMANDER OF
NAVY AT PORT OF PHILADELPHIA--BATTLE AT RED BANK--ORDERED BY
WASHINGTON AND NAVY BOARD TO SINK THE VESSELS ON THE UPPER
DELAWARE--PROTESTS--DECLARED HE KNEW MORE ABOUT A SHIP THAN
WASHINGTON AND THE BOARD--CHARGED WITH DISRESPECT--HIS DEFENSE TO
CONGRESS--HIS BRILLIANT OPERATIONS ON THE DELAWARE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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