On February 22d, Washington's birthday, Captain Barry issued orders "to exercise the great guns and the small arms every day, to loose the topsails in order the men could learn to do it well, to have wood and water ready for sea." He evidently was having the ship ready for service and action though he had brought the news of peace to the West India Islands.
Captain Barry's foresight in having everything ready for war, although the preliminary articles of peace had been signed, was soon manifested. The "Alliance" left Havana on March 6, 1783, in company with the "Duc de Lauzun," commanded by Captain Greene. There also sailed nine Spanish warships. Not knowing where the Spaniards were bound to, Captain Barry decided to make his own way and ordered Captain Greene to follow him.
The "Alliance" and "Lauzun" had seventy-two thousand dollars "of public money on board," which Captain Barry had been entrusted with to deliver, by order of Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, to George Olney, of Providence, R.I., in case he arrived in that harbor. The afternoon after leaving Havana two British cruisers were seen. Captains Barry and Greene "stood for the Spanish fleet," of which some vessels had been seen in the morning. He did this as "the only way to save the 'Lauzun,'" as that vessel sailed "much heavier" than the "Alliance." At ten o'clock at night they got in sight of part of the Spanish fleet. The British men-of-war had followed closely and had got within gun-shot of the "Alliance" and "Lauzun" when, observing the lights of the Spaniards, they abandoned the chase. Barry and Greene kept in company with the Spaniards all night--though they found in the morning that they were but eight or ten sloops and schooners. "However, they answered our ends," reported Captain Barry.
The British not being in sight and no tidings of them among the Spaniards, the Americans "made the best of their way." Finding the "Lauzun" much slower than the "Alliance," the public money on board of her was transferred to the "Alliance." On the morning of the 9th "three large sail of ships," British men-of-war, were seen "standing directly for us," reported Barry. He signaled Greene to follow him, who replied the enemy were of superior force. The "Alliance" having the money, Barry believing he could be of no service to the "Lauzun," made all sail and ran faster than the British could follow. But Barry shortened sail and spoke the "Lauzun." By this time one of the British, a 32-gun frigate, was within gun-shot of the "Alliance" and the "Lauzun"--the other two British cruisers a little way astern and fast coming up to the "Lauzun." Captain Greene told Captain Barry the two were privateers, but Barry "told him he was mistaken" and that he knew better.