The lines of the Poet of the Revolution, Philip Freneau, may most appropriately be inserted here, to show the regard in which the vessel was held while John Barry was its commander:
"When she unfurls her flowing sails,
Undaunted by the fiercest gales,
In dreadful pomp she plows the main,
While adverse tempests rage in vain.
When she displays her gloomy tier,
The boldest Britons freeze with fear,
And, owning her superior might,
Seek their best safety in their flight.
But when she pours the dreadful blaze
And thunder from her cannon plays,
The bursting flash that wings the ball,
Compels those foes to strike or fall."
"She was in many engagements and always victorious—a fortunate ship—a remarkably fast sailer—could always choose her combat—could either fight or run away—always beating her adversary by fight or flight," Philadelphia's annalist, Watson, made that record of her.
Such was the vessel commanded by Captain John Barry, the Wexford boy, in the closing and eventful year of the Revolution, which established our country's Independence and Liberty, to become the home of countless thousands of all lands who might enjoy the Liberties John Barry had so conspicuously aided in winning.
CHAPTER X.
The "Alliance" Sails for France—Captures a British Cruiser—Return to America—The Loss of the "La Fayette"—Mutiny.
The selection of John Barry, at this crisis in our country's struggle for Liberty and Independence, to the command of the foremost ship of the new Republic is a most conspicuous and honorable testimony to his merits, abilities and services. None additional is needed.
The "Alliance" was selected to convey Colonel John Laurens as a special Commissioner to France to seek "an immediate, ample and efficacious succor in money, large enough to be a foundation for substantial arrangement of finance, to revive public credit and give vigor to future operations."
There was delay in sailing owing to a shortness of crew and the inability to procure recruits. In the meantime Captain Barry was, on November 10, 1780, appointed, by the Navy Board of the Eastern Department, President of a Court-Martial, together with Captains Hoystead Hucker, Samuel Nicholson and Henry Johnson, Lieutenants Silas Devol, Patrick Fletcher, Nicholas E. Gardner and Samuel Pritchard, Lieutenant of Marine, to meet on November 21st to try Lieutenant James Degges to determine whether he was justified in revolting against the authority of Captain Landais of the "Alliance" and usurping command on the voyage from France. A Court-Martial was also held for the trial of Captain Landais, and he was dismissed the service. There is much interesting history connected with these trials, but they do not properly enter into this recital further than to say that Captain Landais' erratic conduct in command of the "Alliance" was due to mental deficiencies as was afterwards generally acknowledged. These became so manifest in the voyage to America that the officers took the command from him.