HAPTER VII

CAPTAIN BARRY AND HIS ROWBOATS WIN A VICTORY OVER THE BRITISH

A GALLANT NAVAL HERO OF IRISH BLOOD

THE heroes of our navy were not all Americans born. More than one of
them came from British soil, but a footprint on the green fields of
America soon turned them into true-blue Yankees. There was John Paul
Jones, the gallant Scotchman. And there was John Barry, a bold son of
green Erin.

I have told you the story of Jones, the Scotchman, and now I must tell
you that of Barry, the Irishman.

John Barry was a merchant captain who was made commander of the
_Lexington_ in 1776. The next year he was appointed to the _Effingham_,
a new frigate building at Philadelphia. The British captured that city
before the ship was ready for sea, and the _Effingham_, the
_Washington_, and some other vessels were caught in a trap. They were
taken up the river to Whitehill, above the city, and there they had to
stay. Captain Barry, you may be sure, was not much pleased at this, for
he was one of the men who love to be where fighting is going on.

Soon orders came from the Navy Board to sink the _Effingham_. This made
Barry's Irish blood very hot. I fancy he said some hard things about the
members of the board, and swore he would do nothing of the kind. If the
British wanted the American ships let them come and take them. He had
guns enough to give them some sport and was disposed to try it.

When the members of the Navy Board heard of what he said, they were very
angry, and in the end he had to sink the ship and had to apologize for
his strong language. But time proved that he was right and the Navy
Board was wrong.

By this time Captain Barry was tired enough of being penned up, and he
made up his mind by hook or crook to get out of his cage. He was
burning for a fight, and thought that if he could get down the river he
might give the British a taste of his mettle.

So, one dark night he set out with four boats and twenty-seven men. He
rowed down the river past the ships in the stream and the soldiers on
shore. Some of the soldiers saw his boats, and a few shots were fired,
but they got safely past, and by daybreak were far down the broad
Delaware.

Barry kept on until he reached Port Penn, down near the bay, where the
Americans had a small fort. Here there was a chance for the work he
wanted, for across the river he saw a large schooner flying the British
flag. It was the _Alert_, carrying ten guns, and with it wer