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 mission President Adams declared was sent at one of the "most
critical, important and interesting moments that ever occurred" in
American history. Again was Barry given the old order so often given him
during his Revolutionary career: "You will not capture anything on the
voyage. This is a mortification to which it is necessary that you should
submit. I hope to salute you an Admiral on your arrival at
Philadelphia."
Captain Barry performed the duty assigned him and landed the envoys in
France. After long negotiations a Treaty of Peace, Commerce and
Navigation was agreed to September 30, 1800, with the First Consul
Bonaparte. It was ratified by the U.S. Senate February 3, 1801, by the
French July 31, 1801, and proclaimed December 31, 1801.
Washington died December 14, 1799. On the 20th Captain Barry received
from the Navy Department a General Order of President Adams that all
vessels should be "put in mourning one week by wearing their colors at
half-mast high." The officers to "wear crape on the left arm below the
elbow for six months."
During the year 1800 the "United States" frigate was not in active
duty--the trouble with France having ceased, other occasions for her
services did not arise. Lieutenant Mullowney was promoted to the command
of the "Ganges" and thirty-five of the seamen of the "United States"
transferred with him.
On July 16, 1800, Lieutenant Charles Stewart was given command of the
"Experiment," Captain Barry expressing the hope that "he will be more
active than he was," a hope which was justified in his subsequent
career. At this time Barry's vessel was undergoing repairs. He wrote the
Secretary, "she will not be out of the carpenter's hands until October."
When she was ready for sea, Barry was directed "to proceed to St. Kitts
and assume command of your squadron on the Guadeloupe station, taking
under your convoy any merchant vessels ready to proceed for the Windward
Islands; you have to protect our commerce to all the Islands and to
guard our merchant vessels against all depredations from Porto Rico as
well as from Guadeloupe and other dependencies of France." Later the
Treaty of September 30, 1800, arrived, when Barry was directed to "treat
the armed vessels of France, public and private, exactly as you find
they treat our trading vessels."
Up to that time seventy-four French vessels had been taken and more than
eighty had been retaken from the French. This was regarded as ample
proof of the value of a Navy and made its advocates so jubilant that
"What think ye of the Navy now?" was tauntingly asked of its former
opponents.
So again Captain Barry's services as Head of the Navy were conspicuous
and useful. But the Federalists, the party of Washington, of Adams and
of Barry, were defeated by the election by the House of Representatives
of Thomas Jefferson.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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