Background
He was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland.
He was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland.
He went to sea in early youth and about the year 1760 settled at Philadelphia, where he became a well-to-do shipmaster and owner. Enthusiastically espousing the cause of the Colonies at the outbreak of the Revolution, he offered his services to the Continental Congress, and was placed in command, independently of Commodore Hopkins's squadron, of the brig Lexington, in which, on April 17, 1776, he took the British tender Edward, which was the first capture in actual battle of a British war-ship by a regularly commissioned American cruiser.
By a resolution passed by the Congress on October 10, 1776, Barry was placed seventh on the list of captains, and was soon after given command of the Effingham, 32 guns; but the occupation of Philadelphia by the British in 1777 and the presence of an overwhelming enemy force in the Delaware prevented this vessel from going to sea. This, however, did not condemn the enterprising commander to idleness, and during this year he performed a handsome exploit in the lower Delaware. With four small boats he cut out an armed British schooner without the loss of a man, at the same time capturing a number of transports and a large quantity of supplies destined for the British army, receiving the personal congratulations of Washington on his "gallantry and address".
He then volunteered for service with the American army and took part in the Trenton campaign with distinction. In 1778 his vessel, the Effingham, against Barry's will, was burnt to prevent her falling into the enemy's hands. He then obtained command of the Raleigh, 32 guns, and in her fought a gallant and obstinate battle against superior forces, finally being obliged to beach his ship, but saving most of his crew from capture. In 1781, in command of the Alliance, 32 guns, having taken many valuable prizes, he attacked and captured after an obstinate fight the British vessels Atalanta and Trepassy, being severely wounded in the action. Later in the same year he carried to France the Marquis de Lafayette and the Count de Noailles, and in 1782, while continuing his series of captures of enemy ships, he fought, in the Alliance, his last important battle, which he was obliged to break off on the appearance of powerful enemy reinforcements.
In 1794, when the depredations of the Algerine pirates had become insupportable, and Congress ordered the construction of six frigates, Barry was named senior captain and placed in command of the United States, 44 guns, being, as Cooper says, "of all the naval captains that remained the one who possessed the greatest reputation for experience, conduct, and skill. " During the hostilities with France, after a somewhat unsatisfactory cruise to the West Indies (1798), Barry was placed in command of all the naval forces in those waters, remaining there until the beginning of May 1799. In December of that year he escorted to France the American envoys appointed to treat with the French Republic, and upon his return took command of the Guadaloupe station in the West Indies, which position he retained until 1801. He died two years later at the head of the navy.
He came to be widely credited as "The Father of the American Navy" (and shares that moniker with John Paul Jones and John Adams) and was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775. He was the first captain placed in command of a U. S. warship commissioned for service under the Continental flag.
He was twice married. The identity of his first wife is uncertain; she was either Mary Burns or Mary Cleary; his second wife was Sarah Austin, whom he married July 7, 1777. Both marriages were childless.
