When Captain Barry proceeded to sea, the "Roebuck," British man-of-war, "one of His Majesty's pirates" and her tender, the "Edward," "put to sea" also after the "Lexington," but Barry was too swift and got so far away that the "Roebuck" returned the same evening to the Bay.
Barry's historical and patriotic career had begun.
[Illustration: ADMIRALTY SEAL AND SIGNATURE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE BOARD]
CAPTURES THE "EDWARD"--HIS PRISONER RICHARD DALE--IMPORTANCE OF THE PRIZE--BARRY UNKNOWN TO OR IGNORED BY CAPTAIN HOBSON.
The "Lexington" cruised off the coast of Virginia a week without meeting with the enemy. Barry had gone to sea on Sunday. The Sunday following, April 7, 1776, while off the "Capes of Virginia" he "fell in with the sloop 'Edward' belonging to the 'Liverpool' frigate" and "shattered her in a terrible manner," as he reported to the Marine Committee, after an engagement of "near two glasses." The "Lexington" lost two men killed and two wounded. The "Edward" had "several of her crew killed and wounded." She carried "eight guns and a number of swivels" and was commanded by Lieutenant Richard Boger of the "Liverpool." Barry brought the "shattered" captive to Philadelphia with the crew of twenty-five prisoners taken.
Among the number was Richard Dale, of Virginia, who had been Lieutenant of a light cruiser in the service of Virginia, which had been captured by the "Edward." Dale was "induced to adopt the Royal cause" and so took service on the "Edward" and so was taken prisoner.
Captain Barry induced young Dale to return to American allegiance and accept service under him on the "Lexington" as Midshipman. Dale in October, when the "Lexington" was assigned to Captain Johnston, became Master's Mate. He continued in the service of the United Colonies and rose to be a Commodore in the Navy under the present Constitution. He ever retained the friendship of Captain Barry, who, by his will, bequeathed to his "good friend, Captain Richard Dale, his gold-hilted sword as a token of his esteem."
This sword had been presented to John Paul Jones by King Louis XVI after the memorable battle between the "Bonne Homme Richard" commanded by Jones and the "Serapis," as the expedition commanded by Jones was under French auspices and direction. The sword "was sent by Jones' heirs to Robert Morris," the financier of the Revolution, "who presented it to Commodore John Barry, the senior officer of the present American Navy, who will never disgrace it," Morris wrote, March 18, 1795, to Thomas Pinckney, the American Minister to Great Britain. Barry by his will bequeathed it to "my good friend Captain Richard Dale," with whose descendants it yet remains. It is claimed by the Morris family that the gift to Barry was "in trust to descend to the senior officer of the Navy." There is no proof of the trust nor is there any that Jones' heirs gave the sword of great money value to Morris. Morris had it. He gave it to Barry who bequeathed it to Dale who, two months before Barry made his will, had resigned from the Navy. There could have been no "trust" for Barry to "disregard." But it is singular that it is now possessed by those whose ancestor had, by Barry, been induced to return to American allegiance after having entered the service of the enemy.