Barry and Read protested to the Board against the sinking, saying that if Washington knew the security of the ships he would not order the sinking. Barry offered to go and inform him, but Hopkinson declared Washington had been informed and his order would be carried out. He told Barry that the order should be obeyed; that he would take Washington's opinion in preference to Barry's.
"I told him," related Barry in his defense, when summoned before Congress sitting at York, for disrespect to the Navy Board, "that nevertheless I knew more about a ship than General Washington and the Navy Board together. That I was commissioned by Congress to command the 'Effingham' and, therefore, expected to be consulted before she was destroyed."
"You shall obey our orders," was the quick and somewhat heated reply. Whereupon Barry left him "of course in high dudgeon," said Barry. "I immediately repaired to my ship, got all clear--and the orders were punctually obeyed"--while Hopkinson himself was on board giving orders which did not permit the vessel to keel and so was "very near upsetting." When Barry reported the condition of the ship to the Navy Board, he was told "it was a misfortune and we must do the best to remedy it," to which Barry replied that nothing would be wanting on his part.
Two attempts to raise the "Effingham" failed for want of men and material, whereupon Mr. Hopkinson said he would raise her himself--"an insult I overlooked, having the getting up of the ship much at heart," Barry told Congress. So he got everything ready and sent for as many of the invalid soldiers as could be had, and with the seamen began to heave. And he too "worked with as much ardor as possible."
"Captain Barry, doth she rise," called Hopkinson.
"No, sir! How can she rise when you keep the people back," replied Barry. This was an allusion to Hopkinson's order that only invalids, well attired, should be sent to assist the seamen.
"Puh! You are always grumbling," retorted Hopkinson.
"Go along and mind your own business, you scoundrel," roared Hopkinson.
"What! Do you tell me I lie?" said Hopkinson.
"It was a lie in them that said so," was Barry's rejoinder.
Hopkinson replied that he would bring Barry to an account for this.