stone, as it were. And it took two
British cruisers to inflict the only loss he ever had--the loss of the
"Raleigh."

Captain Barry took the "Alert" to L'Orient, where the crew were
imprisoned. Laurens secured from France a gift of six millions from the
King--as well as clothing and military stores. It was sent in the
"Resolute" which sailed from Brest, June 1, 1781, and arrived at Boston
August 25th. It was this money which moved Washington's army to
Yorktown, Virginia, by paying the army one month's pay in specie and
enabling supplies to be furnished. Congress had no credit to get money
or supplies until the arrival of the French funds. Other portions of the
money were used to pay overdue French loans. That was our hard-pressed
country's method of paying its debts.

The importance of the duty assigned Captain Barry to get Colonel Laurens
to France is thus made manifest. Well performed, its results brought the
downfall of British supremacy in America. Failure to safely convey
Laurens would have brought untold disaster upon the cause of
Independence and Liberty and, mayhap, long have delayed the winning and
the triumph.

On March 23, 1781, Captain Barry, after obtaining supplies needed, was
assigned the Letter-of-Marque vessel "Marquis de La Fayette," commanded
by Captain Gallatheau, which was loaded with stores for Congress, and
directed that, as he was about to return to America, that the "La
Fayette" would proceed under his convoy to Philadelphia. On March 29th
the "Alliance" and "La Fayette" sailed from L'Orient in company.

When the "Alliance" left L'Orient on her returning cruise to America,
Captain Barry, by orders of Franklin, directed Captain Gallatheau, of
the ship "Marquis La Fayette," to proceed to the United States under
convoy of the "Alliance," as the vessel was laden with one hundred tons
of saltpetre, twenty-six iron eighteen-pounders, fifteen thousand
gunbarrels, leather, uniforms for ten thousand men and cloth for five or
six thousand. After being under convoy for three weeks in a gale of wind
which split the sails of the "Alliance," the "La Fayette" disappeared.
Captain Barry gave signals by flags and guns and cruised about for two
days in search of the missing vessel. Five days after the separation the
"Suffolk," British man-of-war, of 74 guns, met the "La Fayette" and
after three hours' battle made her captive though reduced to "a perfect
hulk." For thirteen days she was towed by the "Suffolk."