On this day 10 March

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On the 10th of March 1783, the final naval battle of the American War of Independence was fought off the coast of Cape Canaveral. The USS Alliance, a 36-gun frigate under the command of Captain John Barry, was escorting the USS Duc de Lauzun, a 20-gun armored transport, to the United States when they were pursued by three ships of the Royal Navy – HMS Alarm (32-gun frigate), HMS Sybil (32-gun frigate), and HMS Tobago (18-gun sloop-of-war). The Americans wanted to avoid battle due to the Duc de Lauzun’s cargo – bullion that was gravely needed by the Continental forces. Though the Alliance was able to move away from her pursuers, the British were closing in on the Duc de Lauzun. The Alarm disengaged while Sybil began firing upon the American transport. Barry turned around and slipped in between Sybil and Duc de Lauzun, attempting to draw the British frigate’s fire toward her, and, thereby, enabling the transport to flee to safety. Sybil fired upon the American frigate, but the Alliance did not return fire until it was in a position to unleash a close-range broadside. After 40 minutes of intense fighting, the British frigate, severely damaged, disengaged and fled. Sybil’s commander, Captain James Vashon, remarked on the brilliancy of Barry’s command and the quality of the Alliance’s fighting. Unbeknownst to both sides, the Treaty of Paris had been ratified a month before.

Captain John Barry:


USS Alliance:





For more information on today's event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Alliance_(1778)
http://books.google.com/books?id=pFm...ed=0CFIQ6AEwBQ