Thus closed his public career, being among the first to en ter, and the last to quit the service.

The character of our work will not permit us to give all the interesting particulars of Barney's life. Suffice to say, great indeed, was the variety of service in which he was engaged in the revolutionary war, and as fluctuating his successes and bis misfortunes. A captive to-day, to-morrow he triumphed in the arms of victory; but, in all situations, and under every change, however eventful, supported a character of unblemished honour, and of an intrepidity that could not be exceeded,

After the termination of the revolutionary war, he commenced business, and purchased a tract of land in Kentucky, which he meant to be a last resort for his family. In 1786, 87, and 88, he visited South Carolina, Georgia, and the western country. On his return he took an active part in the adoption of the constitution. In 1789, finding his health impaired by his services, he embarked for South America, and arrived at Carthagena in a small brig belonging to himself and partner. Thence he went to Havanna, and then home. In 1792, he sailed again, and arrived at Cape Francois. While there the town was burnt, and he was obliged to fight his way. He brought off fifty or sixty miserable women and children. His vessel was captured by an English privateer brig, two others in company. Three officers and eleven men were put on board, and all the Americans taken out, except Barney, the carpenter, boatswain and cook. They were ordered for New Providence. The keys of the iron chest were demanded, but Barney would not deliver them, which occasioned much abuse and ill treatment. He had concealed a small blunderbuss, and his men some other arms, with which they took an opportunity of retaking the ship. Two of the English officers were wounded. The men were afterwards made to work the ship, until they arrived at Baltimore. Barney was compelled, for his own safety, to sleep on the quarter deck in his arm-chair. He again sailed for Cape Francois in 1793; on his return, he was again captured by an English brig, and taken to Jamaica. When he arrived at Kingston he was committed to prison, and bills were found against him for piracy, His ship and cargo were condemned. He then returned home, and in 1794, was offered the command of a frigate, but declined the offer. After this he accompanied Mr. Monroe, now President of the United States, to France, and was the bearer of the American flag to the National Convention. He received the embrace of the President of the Convention, and a vote was passed that he should be employed in the navy of the Republic. He declined at that time, but in 1795, accepted a commission as captain. In 1796, he

arrived at Norfolk with two frigates. An English squadron blockaded him for a considerable time. He offered to go out and fight an equal force, but the English declined. By deceiving the British, he made his escape, and returned to France. In 1800, he left the French service, and returned to America. In 1805, he was offered the superintendance of the Navy Yard at Washington, but declined. In 1806, he offered for Congress, but was defeated. In 1808, he offered for Congress, and was again defeated, through the machinations of his enemies.

In 1812, he had removed into the country, on Elkridge, and in June, when war was declared against Great Britain, he offered his services to the general government, and at the same time engaged in a fine schooner to make a cruise privavateering. He was very successful, having captured eighteen sail, most of which were burnt or sunk; several of them were of greater force than the privateer, and fought hard. In July, 1813, when at Newport, Rhode Island, attending the sale of some prizes, he received an offer of the command of the flotilla for the defence of the Chesapeake. On his proceeding to Washington, he found his old enemies had written letters to the Secretary of the Navy, insulting to his feelings. which he resented by calling out the writer, a merchant of Baltimore, who, in the affair, had a bullet through his breast; which, however, he survived. In the spring of 1814, the flotilla consisted of twenty six barges and nine hundred men, with which the commodore proceeded down the bay, intending to attack the enemy's black establishment, at Tangier Island; but falling in with their squadron off the Patuxent, he was obliged to run in there. During the summer, they kept up an active warfare with the enemy, attacking them whenever he had an opportunity, in some instances lying under the fire of the frigates for several hours. He destroyed several of their small craft, and men, besides injuring their large vessels, when his shot would reach them. On the first of July, the commodore was ordered to Washington, to consult about the expected invasion, and the means of defending the capital. He returned to the flotilla on the third, and removed higher up the river. On the sixteenth of August, the enemy entered the Patuxent, and an express was forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy. The commodore landed most of his men, and marched them towards Washington on the twenty first, and joined General Winder at the Woodyard, where he found captain Miller, and his marines, with five pieces of artillery, which were placed under his command. On the 23rd the troops were reviewed by the President. The enemy, the next day, were within three miles of the camp, and some skirmishing took place. The

commodore proceeded with his force to the city, crossed the Eastern branch, and put up that night in the marine barracks, with orders to protect the bridge.

At about 11, A. M. of the 24th, hearing the enemy had proceeded on to Bladensburg, and meeting the President, &c. he begged to be allowed to quit the bridge, and join the army, which was allowed, and he immediately set out for Bladensburg, with his guns and his men. Within a mile of that town, he found the army drawn up in detached parties, and the engagement had began. His men came up at a trot, the weather excessively hot. They had hardly time to take the limbers from the guns and form, when he perceived our army in full retreat, and the enemy advancing. He was in hopes the first line would again form near him, but was disappointed. At length the enemy appeared, and he gave orders to wait until they were near enough. He pointed the guns and remounted. The enemy tried their rockets, and then advanced. They received a fire of round and grape shot, which cleared the road; grape and canister cleared it a second time; they then left the road and took to the field in front and on the right. They were met there by the marines and sailors with muskets, and the cannon with grape and canister. Colonel Thornton, colonel Woods, and several officers of the enemy, fell in the charge. The American army by this time, had to a man disappeared; the commodore, however, kept up his fire. The English sharp-shooters had straggled about, and were doing much mischief; Barney's horse fell between two of his guns, pierced by two balls; several of his officers were killed and wounded; the ammunition wagon had gone off in the general confusion and retreat of the army; the enemy began to flank out to the right, under cover of a thick wood, and had nearly surrounded the commodore. His men were nearly exhausted, having undergone a three day's march without a regular supply of provisions. He had received a wound in the thigh some time before, and was faint for loss of blood, when he ordered a retreat, which was effected in good order, by the men and such officers as could follow. He retired a few yards, with the help of three of his officers, whom he ordered away, except captain H and fell from weakness; in which situation he was found by the enemy. General Ross and admiral Cockburn came to him, and, in in the most polite manner tendered him every assistance. He was carried in a litter to Bladensburg. Captain Miller was also carried to the same house, badly wounded. Thus the battle ended! On the 26th of August, he found the enemy had retreated, leaving eighty wounded officers and men. The next day, Mrs. Barney, his surgeon, and one of his sons

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came to Bladensburg, and, after a night's rest, carried him home in a carriage and bed brought for that purpose. The ball had been probed for by the English surgeons, but without effect; his surgeon was equally unsuccessful, and it was never got out. On the 7th October, he was sufficiently recovered to proceed to Washington, and was sent with a flag of truce to the enemy's fleet in the Chesapeake, to exchange prisoners. He calculated the enemy lost in killed, wounded and prisoners, in their attack on Washington, eleven hundred men. Our loss did not exceed sixty, fifty of which were marines and flotilla men. On the 10th October, he resumed his command. The corporation of Washington voted him a sword. He was preparing the barges for a spring campaign, when the news of peace arrived. The Legislature of Georgia gave the commodore a vote of thanks for his conduct at Washington. On the 10th May, he was again sent for by the Secretary of the Navy, and requested to undertake a mission to Europe; and he sailed the 25th from Baltimore, arrived at Plymouth, thence went to London, and sailed the 9th August from Gravesend; arrived at Baltimore 13th October, but found his wound crippled him so completely, he was obliged to send his despatches by his son. He remained at his farm until his strength was renovated; he then removed his family to Baltimore, where he remained some months. Finding it necessary to form an establishment more independent than the one he now possessed, he looked towards Kentucky as the place of final settlement, and paid it a visit, carrying out his wife with him. On the road he received the most gratifying attentions from all classes, and his reception in that hospitable state, was such, that he only returned to Maryland to settle his business, and pack up his furniture, which, with his wagons, horses, servants, and every thing necessary for farming and housekeeping, he sent ahead, and followed with his family. At Brownstown he embarked his baggage in boats, but unfortunately the season had been remarkably dry, and he was detained a long time on the river. At Pittsburg he had got every thing on board, and was ready to sail the next morning, the water having risen, when in his boat he was taken ill, the combined effect of fatigue, exposure, and the irritation kept up by the ball in his thigh, calculated very much to hasten his death.

He died on the 1st day of December, 1818, in the 60th year of his age. It is unnecessary to say his funeral was attended by a great concourse of people, and received all the honours the city of Pittsburg could afford. His family after some detention, proceeded on to Kentucky. His widow continues to enjoy his pension, and in time may have possession of the ample tract of land purchased in early life.

BARRY, JOHN, was born in the county of Wexford, Ire land, in the year 1745. After having received the first elements of an English education, to gratify his particular inclination for the sea, his father entered him in the merchant service. When about fifteen years of age, he arrived in Pennsylvania, and selected it as the country of his future residence. He commanded the ship, Black Prince, a valuable vessel belonging to Mr. Nixon, of Philadelphia, when the revolutionary war commenced. This ship was immediately purchased by Congress, and converted into a vessel of war. Barry very promptly took a decided stand in favour of his adopted country, and was the first commodore in the American navy.

Confiding in his patriotism, Congress, in February, 1776, a few months prior to the declaration of Independence, appointed him commander of the brig Lexington, of sixteen guns, and his was the first Continental vessel, which sailed from the port of Philadelphia. His cruises were successful. The city of Philadelphia and forts on the Delaware fell into the hands of the British, in the year 1777; and commodore Barry, with several vessels of war, made good his retreat up the river, as far as Whitehill, where, however, they were afterwards destroyed by the enemy.

Prior to the destruction of these vessels, he successfully employed those under his command, in annoying the enemy, and cutting off the supplies.

Whilst he commanded the Lexington, the British chased a vessel on shore near Cape May, in sight of the Lexington, Surprise, captain Weeks, and the Wasp, captain Barney. The boats and men of those vessels were immediately sent to her assistance, and they began to land her cargo, consisting of small arms, powder, &c. The British kept up a brisk fire, and killed captain Weeks. Finding the enemy's ships getting near, and preparing to send their boats, captain Barry ordered a quantity of powder turned loose in the hold of the vessel, and on leaving her, left a large coal of fire wrapped up in the mainsail over the hatchway. When the Americans retired, the British had scarcely boarded the vessel, when she blew up, with a tremendous explosion! A great number of dead bodies, gold laced hats, &c. afterwards floated on shore.

After the destruction of the American squadron, and soon after the capture of Philadelphia, he was appointed to command the Raleigh, of thirty two guns, which, on a cruise, was run on shore by a British squadron, on Fox Island, in Penobscot bay.

Subsequent to the above disasters, he commanded a vessel commissioned with letters of marque and reprisal, and engaged in the West India trade for some time.