p271  XIX.

A Cruise and a Crisis

Through a hot, stagnant night, the Alliance lay becalmed in New London harbor mouth. With dawn, of August 4, 1782, a fine breeze sprang up out of the northwest. The frigate weighed and stood out — Fisher's island to port — and John Barry, with an appreciative eye on the grant spread of canvas overhead, felt his spirits rise to the lift of her through the choppy waters of Long Island Sound.

Auspicious was the start of this, his third cruise in the Alliance. In little more than an hour, he had a prize. True, she was nothing of great moment — a brigantine laden with lumber and fish — but a good augury for the future none the less. He took her off the point of Plumb Island, and found that, but two days before, she had been American property — the Adventure, owned in Rhode Island and cut out of Narragansett bay by a British privateer. Her late captor was visible off to the eastward, which expedited the manner in which she was manned by Midshipman Thomas Foster and "three Indifferent hands," and ordered for New London.

"The Cargo is not very valuable," wrote Barry to John Brown, "but it is making a Beginning."

The subsequent pursuit of the privateer, while carrying them well beyond the mouth of the sound, was unavailing. The Captain soon abandoned the chase, and ordered the frigate's course to the southward. His destination was the old cruising ground of the Lexington — the waters around Bermuda. Enemy double-deckers were not apt to be in that vicinity, and of frigates he had no fears.

Six days later, well along on his way, he bagged his next prize. She was the schooner Polly, Samuel Tufts master, from Bermuda to Halifax, with a cargo of little value — Brown  p272 sugar, molasses, onions and limes. Barry sent Midshipman Simon Sprague and a prize crew in her to Boston. Again he wrote to Brown, and, for the first time in two years, could enthuse about his crew.

On August 19, with Bermuda over the bow a few miles ahead, the Alliance hoisted English colors, and eased slowly in toward St. George's harbor. Barry had a plan. Its execution required a pilot. So he proceeded to decoy one on board. It was not difficult. Presuming the Alliance a British frigate, a boat came off immediately. Not until it was too late to escape did its occupants detect the deception. When the pilot came on board, Barry reassured him.

"No harm will befall you if you keep us off the reefs," he explained, "but run us aground, and you're a dead man."

With some one at the helm familiar with the channels, the Captain could cruise close in. For several days, the Alliance circled the island. Several vessels were pursued, and one of them, later identified as the eighteen‑gun privateer Experiment, got into St. George's only after a stirring chase. This was not securing results, and Barry began to question the wisdom of his procedure. On August 23, he put Samuel Tufts, late master of the Polly, on the pilot boat, and sent him into St. George's. Tufts had signed a parole, promising upon his honor to effect an exchange of American prisoners. With him went a letter from Barry to the Governor of Bermuda.

Unless every American prisoner was sent promptly on board the Alliance, he, John Barry Esquire, proposed to blockade the harbor of St. George's for three weeks. Let the Governor take heed, because the whole naval force in the harbor was insufficient to cope with the Continental frigate under the said John Barry's command.

Whether the threat would have succeeded is hard to say. On the morning of August 25, a small sloop was observed coming out toward the Alliance. She may have had released Americans on board. Nobody will ever know, because, just then, the  p273 frigate went off in hot pursuit of two vessels fleeing away to the westward. One was captured, or, rather, recaptured, for she was a Connecticut sloop, the Fortune, which had been taken nine days before by the British privateer Hawk. From Manassah Short, her original master who had been left on board, Barry learned she had been bound from Stonington to Martinico. He took off the prize crew, and left Short in command, instructing him to deliver the sloop to the Continental agent at Cape François, Hispaniola. Meanwhile, the other quarry, which was the selfsame privateer Hawk, made good her escape.

Until August 30, the frigate continued the fruitless cruising. That day, to the westward of Bermuda, they spoke a brig from Guadaloupe to Rhode Island. She had interesting intelligence. A large merchant fleet had sailed from Jamaica for England, on July 25. Barry pondered this news. The Jamaica fleet would be well convoyed, but there were always possibilities of picking up vessels that strayed from protection. Regardless of that, the waters around Bermuda were proving profitless. He summarized his decision thus:

Running northeastward, and without again making Bermuda, the Captain headed the Alliance for the Newfoundland banks. That, he knew, would be the probable course of the Jamaica fleet. On the way, on September 7, he picked up his fourth prize, the whaling brig Somerset, Theodore Brock master, out of Nantucket. Unfortunately for the whaler, Brock had failed to conceal a pass of protection issued by Admiral Digby, British commander at New York. The tell-tale paper sealed her fate. Barry sent the Somerset into Boston as a prize and continued his course. Three days later, he entered the Newfoundland banks, and on September 18, happened upon a crippled British merchant brig. From her master came electrifying news.

The Jamaica fleet was not far ahead to the eastward!

Better than that, it was demoralized, shattered and scattered by a terrific storm that had raged over the North Atlantic for two days! The brig's crew had tales of vessels foundering, of  p274 convoying ships-of‑the‑line dismasted, of merchantmen wallowing helplessly in the troughs of huge waves. Barry had felt the edge of the blow. He could believe the whole story. That night, under jury masts, the prize brig limped for Boston, but was recaptured enroute. On the Alliance, men visioned rich prizes as frigate ploughed eastward through mounting seas.

* * *

"Foul Weather Tom" was the nickname bestowed, and aptly so, upon Thomas Graves, admiral commanding the convoy, who had conducted eighty-eight sail of merchantmen out of Jamaica in July. In the British escort were nine ships-of‑the‑line and a frigate. Five of the former had once been French, all captured in April during the Battle of the Saints. Numbered among them was the great 104 gun behemoth Ville de Paris, once proud flagship of the Count de Grasse.

Upon this fleet, which Graves took by the northern route to avoid Spanish and French squadrons in the West Indies, descended, on September 16, the worst storm that had swept the region south of Cape Sable in decades. Within three days, one of the greatest tragedies of the British navy was written into history. The giant Ville de Paris and the Centaur and Glorieux, of seventy-four guns each, sank with all on board. The Caton, of sixty-four guns, and the Pallas frigate staggered off to Halifax; the Ardent, of sixty-four guns, clear back to Jamaica. One ship, the Canada, of seventy-four guns, reached England. The Ramillies, Graves's flagship, also of seventy-four guns, was abandoned on the point of foundering, the admiral, officers and crew distributing themselves among a half-dozen battered merchantmen.

The merchant fleet was blown to all points of the compass. Thirteen went down. Dozens of others were dismasted. Not a vessel but suffered serious damage. The final toll in human lives was some 3,500 British tars.

* * *

Into the area where the storm had wrought such havoc, Barry sailed the Alliance, masthead lookouts peering eagerly ahead for first signs of Jamaicamen. About them on the turbulent waters were mute evidences of tragedy — puncheons, mahogany  p275 logs, masts, spars, hencoops, floating debris of all descriptions. The men began to wonder whether the great blow had destroyed the entire fleet.

On September 24 came the encouraging cry from aloft of "Sail ho!" Two merchant ships — the Britannia, Buchanan master, and Anna, Peterson master — were taken ere nightfall. Both were battered but tight, their cargoes of rum, sugar, coffee and logwood undamaged. From them came more stories to corroborate those gathered from the crew of the previously captured brig. They had seen one of the ships-of‑the‑line founder, and had been powerless to help. Their morale had been shot to pieces by their experiences. Masters, mates and men welcomed captivity on the staunch Alliance to remaining longer on their disabled vessels.

Three days later, the large snow Commerce, Sims master, was added to the prize list. From her came definite word of the fate of Admiral Graves's flagship. On the Commerce were several officers of the Ramillies, who described how the seventy-four had gone down.

Dawn of September 28 disclosed a dismasted ship ahead. She was the Kingston, Reed master. Upon her also were a few of the crew of the Ramillies. She was the ninth and final prize of the cruise. By then the Alliance was midway across the Atlantic.

Short of water, loaded with prisoners, and with the wind still blowing fresh westerly, John Barry gave over any thought of returning to an American port. He had expectations of falling in with more of the scattered fleet if he continued his present course.

"I thought it best to proceed to France," he explained later, "with a determined view to get those [prizes] I already had taken in safe.

Repairs to Kingston took time. It was late that day before the fleet could get under way. Prizemasters were given detailed instructions as to signals to be observed. In case of separation, each vessel was to make for L'Orient. Particularly interesting was the Captain's injunction against capture. The original ship's papers were in the hands of each prizemaster.

"In Case of falling in with any of ye [British] fleet," Barry directed them, "Personate the Captn. & go by your Papers, taking Care to keep these Orders & my Signals private."

 p276  Fortunately, such a ruse was unnecessary. Despite some bad weather, the four merchantmen hung close by the Alliance. Only once was there trouble. That was on the snow Commerce about October 1. Four seamen of the prize crew proposed to several captive hands left on board to seize the vessel, and make for a British port. The Britons turned informants, and the scheme was nipped in the bud. Barry replaced the disloyal men, on October 3, and clapped the quartet in irons on the frigate.

Through the balance of the cruise, the Captain took pains to make all prisoners comfortable. The officers from the Ramillies were accommodated in the great cabin. They were most grateful, as was attested later by Lieutenant John Black when exchanged.

The masters were quartered in the wardroom, and the mates and seamen with the frigate's petty officers and hands between decks. Rations to prisoners were similar to those given the frigate's crew. This unusual hospitality, Barry felt due the unfortunates as some recompense for their harrowing experiences.

October wore on with no more vessels of the fleet sighted. Instead, the Alliance experienced more blowing weather and high seas. In a stiff gale, Barry lost "the sails of the head," and, for a time, was in great danger of losing the head itself. After that, he turned her bow into the southeast, and ran for L'Orient, his prizes in company. On October 17, the frigate moored off the Island of Groix, and the Captain exulted a bit as he observed the four Jamaicamen coming to anchor beside him in the roadstead.

* * *

The Alliance had not been the only vessel to reap a harvest among the defenceless Jamaicamen. Several New England privateers had happened upon the floundering merchant vessels, and had sent a number into French ports. Franklin's nephew, Jonathan Williams, Jr., estimated the total at sixteen.  p277 He and Thomas Barclay were in L'Orient, on October 17, when Barry sent word of his arrival at Groix. They met him at the pier, when the frigate came up past Port Louis next day, and the Captain was rowed ashore.

Finding Barclay on hand — he had been absent in Holland, it will be recalled, when the Alliance had arrived the previous January — was a relief to Barry. The consul's presence should assure prompt repairs to the frigate, immediate filling of all indents for provisions and slops, and rapid disposal of prizes. The Captain's ambition was to continue his cruise with as little delay as possible. Hence, he placed matters in Barclay's hands, and took lodgings in L'Orient for what he hoped would be a stay of not more than ten days. He had put the four prizes under Lieutenant Welch's care, and sent the latter on board the snow Commerce. Lieutenant Fletcher had remained as senior officer on the Alliance.

A lengthy report to Robert Morris was drafted, on October 18. It described the cruise in some detail, and approximated the cargoes on board the Jamaicamen he had taken as "about 1000 hogsheads of sugar and 400 hogsheads of rum."

"After repairing the damage and getting what the ship may want," he told Morris, "I shall put to Sea on a cruise."

The repairs, he learned a day or two later from Barclay, were going to take longer than anticipated. The damage to the head was far more serious than had been imagined. More discouraging was the report on the prizes. They could not be sold for at least a month — such was the red tape surrounding condemnation in French admiralty courts. That would not have been serious, but for the peace rumors. These were thick in L'Orient. Negotiations were under way in Paris. That was a known fact. Results of the negotiations were matters for much speculation, with frequent wild reports, all without any foundation in truth. But each day's delay in the prize sales meant a weakening in the prize market.

The peace rumors disturbed Barry. While he had no desire to see the war prolonged, the success of his cruise had whetted his appetite for its continuance. He did not want to terminate the Alliance's services in the harbor of L'Orient. So he kept  p278 pressing Barclay to ever greater speed, and wrote to the Marquis de La­fayette, at Paris, seeking the truth or falsity of the reports.

"I am sorry to give you Trouble," Barry's letter of October 28 read, "but it would lay me under particular obligations if you have any thing new at Court, or any Expectations of Peace soon, you would lett me know it as I sail in Ten Days on a Cruize."

Arrival of dispatches from America by the well-armed Continental ship General Washington, prompted the Captain to make a second appeal to the Marquis three days later. The dispatches might have considerable bearing on the Paris negotiations.

"It is of material Consequence to me," he wrote, "to know if it is likely we shall soon have peace or not."

Joshua Barney, who had served with Barry when the powder brig Nancy had been destroyed off the Delaware capes in the summer of 1776, was the commander of the General Washington, and had been ordered to deliver his dispatches personally in Paris. To Barney, the Captain entrusted the letter for La­fayette, and also one to Franklin. It was the first direct communication Barry had made to the Doctor. He excused himself for not writing earlier on the ground that Barclay had promised to announce his arrival, and "I therefore thought it would be only Troubling your Excellency to Write, as I was at that time in Expectation of being to Sea before an answer Could Come from Paris." As he had been delayed, and as the General Washington had been built for a cruiser and could not carry goods, he had a suggestion to make. Barney had explained he was under Franklin's orders, therefore, Barry urged upon the Doctor: "If you mean her to go on a Cruize, I think you would render Great service to the United States to order her out with the Alliance."

That night a hurry call reached the frigate for Dr. Geagan. The Captain was desperately ill in his chamber in L'Orient. He had been laid flat on his back with what he described as a "bilious fever" — the first of a series of asthmatic attacks that would continue throughout his life, and, ultimately, cause his death. Surgeon Geagan doctored him faithfully, but for five days the fever continued unabated. When it broke, on November p279  5, Barry was left weak and helpless. Ten days elapsed before he could crawl from his bed.

It was November 17 before he felt equal to the task of answering a letter received from La­fayette during his illness. The Marquis had assured him that peace rumors were premature, and had invited him to Paris as Madame La­fayette was desirous of renewing the acquaintance­ship begun so pleasantly several years ago at Bordeaux. Puzzled at first, the Captain realized the reference to a previous meeting must relate to his brother, Patrick. He took his pen in a shaky hand.

Two more letters followed, despite the Captain's weakened condition. One was to Henry Johnson, former Continental captain, who was at Bordeaux, and who, Barry had hoped, might return to America in the Alliance. In this letter is disclosed the kindly humility of John Barry, as evinced toward his first lieutenant.

The other letter, to an old friend, Sam White, at Nantes, conveyed a bit of news Barry had learned from Joshua Barney. Samuel Nicholson, in September, had been removed from the Deane, at Boston; the command of her given to John Manly, and her name changed to the Hague.

It is too bad the Captain refrained from other comments. We know what he thought of Sam Nicholson. It would have been interesting to read his views. Instead, he concluded with prediction of early departure: "The Alliance is ready for Sea only waiting her Com. to gain a little strength to step on board and proceed on a cruise, which I hope will be in all this week."

The sick man's hopes were to be rudely shattered from an unexpected source.

* * *

Entirely innocuous seemed a letter from the officers of the Alliance, which Joseph Eayers, the Captain's clerk, brought ashore on the morning of November 19. It formally appointed Barry their agent in the matter of the four Jamaicamen, authorized him to secure the prize money, and to dispose of each officer's share as that individual might direct.

"We would wish you to signify to us if it is agreeable to you to accept it," the letter concluded.

Certainly he would act for them, the Captain replied, but he desired more specific instructions. How much money did each want in L'Orient, and what were their desires regarding the balance? He needed this information immediately, "as I am Determined to sail this Week if Wind and Weather Permit." A postscript to Lieutenant Gardner emphasized his intention. "You will send all the Officers on shore to get the Remainder of their Stores and Sign their indents," it said.

The promise of early departure brought to a head a cankering sore which had been eating into the souls of the officers ever since the arrival of the General Washington. Captain Parke and Lieutenant Elwood, of the marines, and Sailing Master Buckley had served in the Alliance for four years; Lieutenants Fletcher and Gardner and Purser Cooper, ever since Barry had been in command, and Surgeon Geagan, for about eleven months. In that period each had received very little pay. Until October they had been content with a promise made by Robert Morris that wages would be paid as soon as money was available, and that the Continental share of prizes taken would be appropriated for that purpose. But in October  p281 had arrived the General Washington, which Morris had purchased for the navy, and whose officers had "recd considerable compensation."

Emboldened by Barry's agreement to act as their prize agent, the seven officers saw opportunity to enlist him further in an effort to secure back wages. Had the letter been diplomatically couched, the Captain might have reacted more favorably. They made the mistake, however, of demanding rather than requesting, and the additional blunder of mis‑quoting what Barry had previously told them. After reciting their grievance and Morris's promise, they informed the Captain that he (Barry) had assured them, "that if we went into any port where there was money to be had we should be paid."

Again young Eayers was the messenger, and Barry received the letter on the morning of November 19. He controlled his indignation admirably as he read it, and was restrained, but emphatic, in his reply. Its contents, he said, surprised him. Since he had commanded the Alliance, he had taken upon himself, without orders, "to advance sundry months pay to each of you." Mr. Morris had, it was true, promised to pay them from the Continental share of prizes taken, but Mr. Morris had not told them "that Mr. Barclay or myself was to pay you."

"You say I told you if we went into any place where there was money you should be paid," he continued. "I deny ever saying you would be paid. If I recollect the words I said, it was if we went into the West Indias and there was public money in the place you should not want money, but at the same time did not expect that if you had prize money due and Recd as much as satisfy'd your wants that you would make so unreasonable a demand."

Their suggestion of notes upon the consul was impossible. He had no authority to issue such notes, and Barclay would not accept them if he did. Apparently, he remarked, they had  p282 a poor opinion of their country and of Mr. Morris's word of honor.

"I certainly have as much Reason to complain as any of you," he wrote, "but I know it to be folly to Grumble."

In conclusion, he promised that if wages were not paid when they reached America, he would join them in a petition, remonstrance, or any other step necessary to secure their just dues.

Barry dispatched the letter by Eayers, and groaned over the physical weakness which kept him confined to his chamber. Were he able to go on board and talk to his officers, he was sure he could prevail upon them to be reasonable. Even so, he sensed no serious trouble. Absence from the Alliance had hidden from him the depth of the discontent.

For four days, he heard nothing directly from the officers, but learned that six of them, all but Lieutenant Elwood, had come ashore and were quartered at an inn in L'Orient. In the early afternoon of November 24, Captain Parke called at the Captain's chamber. His manner was courteous, but far from cordial. He deplored the illness of his superior, and trusted convalescence would be rapid. With amenities concluded, the captain of marines came to the point.

"I represent Lieutenants Fletcher and Gardner, Mr. Buckley, Dr. Geagan, Mr. Cooper and myself," he said. "We have seriously considered your letter, Sir, and it is not satisfactory."

He paused, expecting an answer, but Barry sat tight-lipped.

"It is not satisfactory, I repeat," Parke resumed, "and we have come to a determination. We demand payment of two‑thirds of our wages."

With difficulty, the Captain restrained his rising anger.

"I have already informed you, Mr. Parke, that I have no power to pay you your wages," he said quietly.

"That is a matter resting in your own hands," Parke replied coldly. "My fellow officers and I have agreed that unless we receive two‑thirds of our wages, we shall not return to the ship. I bid you good‑day, Sir."

The green and white uniformed captain of marines withdrew, and Barry, awakened at last to the seriousness of the situation, came to an immediate decision. Insubordination must be met promptly, and in a manner so that his own conduct could not  p283 be questioned subsequently. He recalled the unfortunate Landais' experiences at the hands of this same Captain Parke. The suave marine officer would find he had a different type of antagonist this time. Within a quarter hour, Clerk Eayers was in pursuit of Parke with a letter from Barry.

It concluded with a terse command to Parke to return to the Alliance by four o'clock that afternoon, and "do your duty as becomes your Station till my further Orders".

Eayers found Parke at the inn. Present also were Lieutenants Fletcher and Gardner and Sailing Master Buckley. After the quartet had perused the letter, Fletcher spoke up:

"Tell Captain Barry that the three of us you find here, together with Dr. Geagan and Mr. Cooper, united in sending Captain Parke as our representative. We have no other communication."

That evening Barry mapped out his procedure, and young Eayers was kept busy as clerk and messenger carrying it out. On November 25, the Captain dictated three short notes. One, to all six officers, informed them he declined to act as their agent for the Jamaicamen. The second ordered Captain Parke under arrest with the statement that "as you have refused to go on board the Alliance you must look on yourself as having nothing to do with that Ship until you are try'd by a Court Martial in your own Country." The third, to Lieutenant Fletcher, directed him to go on board the frigate by two o'clock that afternoon.

Barry realized Fletcher would not comply. Consequently, on November 26, he ordered his second lieutenant under arrest, and instructed Lieutenant Gardner to go on board. At the same time, he directed old Hezekiah Welch to return to the frigate from the prize snow Commerce, commenting that "the Good of the Service obliges me contrary to my Inclinations to put evry officer who refuses to do their Duty under an arrest." He could have spared himself the threat in this letter, as Welch had no  p284 part in the insubordination. Neither had Lieutenant Elwood, who persistently refused to heed the blandishments of his fellow officers.

Systematically, Barry carried out his plan. Gardner was ordered under arrest late on November 26, and Buckley was directed to go on board the following morning. Twenty-four hours later, the Sailing Master was likewise notified he would face a court martial in America. As the latter had hinted somebody had plundered the Alliance of supplies to the value of £300, the Captain wrote to Lieutenant Welch to "lett no one on Shore unless on Ships Duty, I wish you to Quarter the Men, & lett me know how many are on board."

While discounting Buckley's insinuation, the Captain was determined to put a stop to possible future pilfering. Likewise, it prompted him to handle Purser Cooper a little differently. He wrote the purser to get the stores on the Alliance without delay, but issued no direct order to go on board. Cooper, however, on November 28, after stating that all stores were accounted for, declared he had a right to resign, and was hereby doing so. Whereupon, Barry ordered him on board, and, when he refused, issued the usual notification of arrest.

Because of a deep liking for Surgeon Geagan, the Captain made several vain efforts to get him to return to duty. Geagan had visited the sick on the frigate regularly, but wrote that such visits were "from motives of Duty and Humanity," and nothing would induce him to "follow any other fate than that of my Brother Officers & Messmates."

When no reply was received, Barry tried again, commenting that "Doctor Geagan has certainly too much Sense to follow bad Examples, that is, if your Brother Officers & Messmates Refuse to do their duty, or in Short to Kill themselves, is that a Reason you should do so?"

This touched Geagan's pride. His reply was a mixture of bravado and piousness:

Regret­fully, as there was nothing else to do, Barry issued his sixth order of arrest, and Surgeon Geagan was told not to board the Alliance again. To replace him, the Captain secured an old navy surgeon, Nathan Dorsey, of Maryland.

The other officers he could not replace. Barclay, who had approved every step taken, recommended Lieutenant Stephen Gregory, who was still in France without a command, but Barry, for some undisclosed reason, would have nothing to do with the former lieutenant of the Confederacy. Nor could the Captain get Henry Johnson from Bordeaux. The latter had secured a merchant ship, and regret­fully declined the opportunity of "obliging my Friend and Serving my Country."

November ended with Barry almost recovered from his long illness, and fully determined to sail, despite the defection of six commissioned and warrant officers.

* * *

Although the Alliance had been in L'Orient for better than a month, Barclay had not yet been able to sell the prizes. He had, however, made advances for the crew, and these monies the Captain had distributed equitably, save to the six insubordinate officers. Barry placed his own share in the consul's hands for investment in goods suitable for America. It was laid out in various merchandise and shipments divided among the vessels then in port, and all destined for Philadelphia — a trunk load of miscellaneous articles on the General Washington; another, of silk, on the ship St. James, Alexander Cain, master, and two boxes of fans on the ship Washington, James Josiah, master. Further shipments were planned, with some of the crew participating, to the amount of 20,000 livres by a later ship.

The merchantmen would not sail for another month, but the General Washington was expected to depart at any moment. Barney had returned from Paris, on November 22, with orders to await dispatches. These, he informed Barry, would likely contain definite news of a treaty of peace. Such a possibility  p286 hastened the Captain's desire to get to sea, but he was still at L'Orient, when, on the evening of December 6, a courier arrived from Paris. The two officers read the letter. It was from Franklin. Peace was not yet declared, but "it may be agreeable, and of some use to you to know, that though peace between us and England is not concluded, yet the preliminary articles are signed, and you will have an English passport."

That was enough for Barry. The General Washington might have to wait for a passport, but the Alliance did not.

"Dear Brown, I have to Inform you that I sail on a Cruise tomorrow." Thus began the letter the Captain addressed his old friend in Philadelphia, on December 7. He intended to run down the coast of Guinea, he said, cut across to Martinico, and return to America. Briefly he sketched the troubles with his officers, his distribution of advance prize money, and his purchases in France, which Brown should help Mrs. Barry dispose of profitably.

"This will be handed you by Capt. Barney who I hope will carry over a Confirmation of peace," he continued. "In my absence you are to act for me as for yourself."

Another letter that day was to Morris — a detailed account of the insubordination of the six officers and of his own actions.

"I shall leave them here to get to America as well as they can," he explained, "when I hope they will be Try'd by a Court Martial and meet their deserts."

With old Hezekiah Welch as his only navigating officer, Master's Mate Hugh Smith promoted to acting lieutenant, and Thomas Elwood as the sole lieutenant of marines, John Barry sailed the Alliance out past Port Louis, on December 9. He cleared the land with a sigh of relief. He was free to cruise, as no definite news of peace had yet arrived.

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