The Biographical Dictionary of America/Barney, Joshua

​BARNEY, Joshua, naval officer, was born at Baltimore, Md., July 6, 1759, the son of a farmer. His book learning was meagre, for at the age of ten he left school, and went to sea on a small brig. For three years he served as a seaman's apprentice, and while on the last voyage to Italy the captain died, and young Barney took his place, successfully finishing the trip and taking the vessel back to Baltimore. At the beginning of the revolutionary war, he joined, as master's mate, the sloop Hornet, which in 1775 was one of the squadron commanded by Commodore Hopkins in his expedition against New Providence. While with this fleet he saw much active service, and on its return to Philadelphia he was transferred to the Wasp, participated in his first sea fight in the engagement with the British brig Tender, his gallantry winning him his promotion as lieutenant. As commander of the sloop Sachem, he captured a British privateer, was made prize-master, and was soon after captured. Upon being released, he in 1777 was assigned to the Andrea Doria and cruised in the West Indies. In 1778 he was first officer on the frigate Virginia, which was captured in attempting to pass the mouth of the Chesapeake, and, after an imprisonment of five months, was exchanged and was made second officer of a privateer, which brought a valuable prize into Philadelphia in 1779. Again he was taken prisoner with his crew, exchanged and joined the sloop of war Saratoga, and while heading a boarding party captured the Charming Molly, a British ship with a crew outnumbering his three to one, was placed in command of the prize, recaptured, carried to New York, and subsequently to England, whence he managed to escape after three months' confinement in a British prison, a price being set on his head. He was commander of the Hyder Ali in 1782, and captured the British ship General Monk off Cape May, N.J., receiving in recognition of his services the rank of commodore, and a gold hilted sword from Pennsylvania. He took government despatches to Franklin in France, returning with the large sum of money loaned by France. He engaged in mercantile pursuits in Baltimore in 1793, accompanied Monroe to France, in 1794; commanded a squadron in the French navy, in the West Indies, until 1808, and the gunboat flotilla in the defense of Chesapeake bay in 1814. He distinguished himself in the battle of Bladensburg, where he was taken prisoner, and received a sword from the city of Washington in recognition of his services. He was sent on a mission to England but was forced to return on account of his health; was appointed naval officer of the port of Baltimore in 1817, and resided on his farm at Elkridge, Md. He died at Pittsburg, Pa., Dec. 1, 1818.