On February 2, 1781, so impatient at the delay had become Colonel Laurens that, as all other resources had failed, he applied to General Benjamin Lincoln to allow recruits for the army fitted for marine service to be engaged and nowhere so advantageously employed.
Patrick Sheridan, an enlisted soldier of Boston, is one known to have been given leave to join the "Alliance." On February 11, 1781, the "Alliance" sailed from Boston with Colonel Laurens, Thomas Paine, Comte de Noailles, brother-in-law of Lafayette and other celebrities. On the way to France the "Alliance" captured, on March 4th, the British cruiser "Alert," which had possession of the "La Buonia Compagnia," a Venetian ship which, "contrary to the Laws of Nations and every principle of justice" had been seized by the British cruiser called the "Alert" from Glasgow, Francis Russell commander, by whom the Venetian crew were put in irons and otherwise cruelly treated.
Captain Barry released the Venetian "out of respect for the Laws of Nations and the rights of neutrality." Colonel Laurens in reporting to Congress, from L'Orient, March 11, 1781, where the "Alliance" had arrived two days before, related the action of Captain Barry, whereupon on June 26th it was resolved that Congress approve of Captain Barry's conduct in releasing the ship belonging to the Republic of Venice, retaken by him from a British privateer on March 4th last, it being the determination always to pay the utmost respect to the rights of neutral commerce. The Venetian Senate also expressed to Franklin, our Ambassador at Paris, through the Ambassador of Venice, their "grateful sense of the friendly behavior of Captain Barry, commander of the 'Alliance,' in rescuing one of the ships of their State from an English privateer and setting her at liberty."
It may be remarked as a singular circumstance that the "Alert" was, probably, the cruiser which, on September 10, 1777, had captured Barry's first command, the "Lexington," which was then commanded by Captain Henry Johnson and which Barry had, in March, 1778, captured in the Delaware Bay, but which was retaken by the British a few days later and which, on September 17, 1778, captured the American cruiser "La Fayette." If so, Captain Barry's gratification must have been great in again capturing the "Alert."