National:
Quarterly veterans committee call 19 March 5-6:30 PM MDT (7-8:30 pm EDT).
State: NSTR.
Veterans: As we approach the 250th anniversary of the US Army in June 2025 and our nation in 2026, June 15 will be the 249th anniversary of the US Army, I thought I
would look at Irish patriots who supported our Revolution against Great Britain.
In this Part 2, I looked at the Revolution at large for one (joint and coalition if you will in
modern terms) and the Army in particular for another “Hero of the American Revolution.”
John Barry-County Wexford
Driven from their ancestral home by the British, the Barry family relocated to the
American colonies, where John Barry became a prosperous transatlantic trading
captain. In December 1775, he was given command of the U.S.S. Lexington, the first
commission issued by the Continental Congress, and three months later became the
first U.S. Navy captain to seize a British ship (H.M.S. Edward). Once offered 100,000
British pounds and command of any frigate in the British Navy if he would desert the
American Navy, an outraged Barry replied that not all the money in the British treasury
or command of its entire fleet could tempt him to desert his adopted country. While
commanding the U.S.S. Alliance in March 1783, Barry and crew won the final naval
battle of the American Revolution off the coast of Cape Canaveral. In 1797, Barry, who
is known as The Father of the American Navy, was issued Commodore Commission
Number One in the U.S. Navy by President George Washington. (Source IrishAmerica)
A favorite of mine as I served in the US Army Cavalry (Armored Cavalry)…..
Stephen Moylan-County Cork
Son of a wealthy Cork shipping family, Moylan immigrated to Philadelphia and opened
his own shipping firm. When the Revolutionary War broke out, he spent considerable
amounts of his own fortune outfitting the first ships of the Continental Navy, and
subsequently earned several Continental Army posts, including first Muster-Master
General, Secretary and Aide to General George Washington, 2nd Quartermaster
General, Commander of the Fourth Continental Light Dragoons, and Commander of the
Cavalry of the Continental Army. (Source Irish America)
April I will look at the clandestine side of the Revolution.
