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From the historical marker, dedicated on March 10, 2007:
The last naval battle of the American Revolutionary War took place off the coast of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 1783. The fight began when three British ships sighted two Continental Navy ships, the Alliance commanded by Captain John Barry and the Duc De Lauzun commanded by Captain John Green sailing northward along the coast of Florida. The Alliance, a 36-gun frigate, and the Duc De Lauzun, a 20-gun ship, were loaded with 72.000 Spanish silver dollars they were bringing from Havana, Cuba to Philadelphia to support the Continental Army. One of the British ships, the HMS Sybil, a 28-gun frigate, commanded by Captain James Vashon, chased the Alliance and the Duc De Lauzun to the south. The HMS Sybil fired first, exchanging shots with the slower Duc De Lauzun. Then in a daring strategy Captain John Barry aboard the Alliance reversed his course, and while under fire, waited until the HMS Sybil was close. When the British ship was alongside he returned fire to the broadside with greater number of cannon. The battle lasted less than an hour, when the HMS Sybil, outgunned and badly damaged, broke off from the battle and fled. The Alliance and Duc De Lauzun then continued on their mission at dawn on March 11, 1783.
From the program and the ceremony:
224 years ago today, the Last Naval Battle of the American Revolution took place off the shore of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Captain John Barry (later Commodore and the father of the American Navy), commanding the 36-gun frigate Alliance, was escorting the Duc De Lauzun, a ship carrying desperately needed currency for the Continental Army. The Continental ships encountered three British ships sent to find them, the HMS Alarm, a thirty-two gun frigate, Captain Charles Cotton, HMS Sybil, a twenty-eight gun frigate, Captain James Vashon, and HMS Tobago, an eighteen gun sloop of war, Captain George Martin.
Captain Barry decided to head southwest for the protection of the Spanish fleet, known to be raiding Jamaica at the time. The Duc De Lauzun lagged behind and Captain Barry advised Captain Green to jettison his cannon. A fourth ship then appeared on the horizon and the British shifted positions, dispatching one of their number to investigate this possible ally of the Continentals. Captain Barry took this to mean help was at hand so made the daring move to engage the Sybil and allow the Duc De Lauzun time to escape. After 40 minutes of close-in fighting, the Sybil broke off and returned to the other vessels.
Thanks to the courage and skill of Captain Barry both American ships completed their mission and on March 20, 1783, the Alliance sailed into New Port, Rhode Island, abandoning the plan to return to Philadelphia given the strong presence of a British patrol. A few days later news reached America that on February 3, 1783, the peace treaty had been ratified - the war for independence was over.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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