Investigation made by Congress into the cause of this great loss showed,
by the evidence of Captain Robeson, on board the "La Fayette," that the
separation was the fault of Captain Gallatheau by sailing away from the
"Alliance" contrary to every argument of Captain Robeson. The loss
aggregated four hundred and fifty tons of public stores and two hundred
men, besides the armament of twenty-six eighteen-pound guns and fourteen
six-pounders.

On March 30th a mutiny plot was discovered among the crew of the
"Alliance." It is best related in the words of Kessler, Barry's friend
and officer:

"An Indian, one of the forecastle men, gave Captain Barry information of
a combination among the crew for the purpose of taking the ship, and
pointed out three who had striven to prevail on him to be concerned
therein. The three men were immediately put in irons and all the
officers, with such of the crew as could be confided in, were armed and
required to remain all night on deck. On the next morning all hands were
called and placed on the forecastle, booms and gangways, excepting the
officers and such part of the crew in whom Captain Barry confided, who,
armed strongly, guarded the quarterdeck, the steerage and the main deck
to keep the remainder of the crew together on the forecastle and boom.
The three designated men were brought out of their irons on the
quarterdeck, and being stripped and hoisted by the thumbs to the
mizzen-stay, underwent a very severe whipping before either would make
any confession. As their accomplices were disclosed they were called to
the quarterdeck, stripped and tied to the ridge-rope of the netting and
the whipping continued until it was thought all was disclosed that could
possibly be obtained, which proved to be: that it was intended to take
the ship on her passage out by killing all the officers in the middle of
the watch of the night, except Lieutenant Patrick Fletcher who was to
navigate her to some port in Ireland, or, on failure, to be destroyed. A
quartermaster, one of the mutineers, was to have command. They all had
been bound by an oath on the Bible, administered by the Captain's
assistant cabin steward, and had also signed their names in a
round-robin, so-called, but that they found no opportunity on the
outward passage and intended to accomplish taking of the ship as
aforesaid immediately on leaving France. But on coming out of L'Orient
we lost a man overboard who was one of the chief ring