On April 7, 1776, Navy Captain John Barry (1745-1803), commander of the American warship Lexington, made the first American naval capture of a British vessel when he took command of the British warship HMS Edward off the coast of Virginia. The capture of the Edward and its cargo turned Captain Barry into a national hero and boosted the morale of the Continental forces. Today he is recognized as one of the first Patriots to understand the need for strength at sea.
