American Naval officer; Captain in both the United States Navy and, during the Civil War, the Confederate States Navy.
His grandfather was Commodore Joshua Barney (July 6,1759 - December 1,1818), who defended Philadelphia during the American Revolution, defeating the British Man O' War "General Monk" with his own warship "Hyder Ally". Joshua Barney also defended the Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812, where he and his men tried to defend Washington, D.C. at Bladensburg, Md., just before the British burned the Capitol and White House.
Joseph's father, Honorable John Barney, was a US Congressman, representing Maryland's 5th District, 1825 to 1829.
Joseph entered the United States Navy in 1832 and graduated at the top of his class in 1835.
He served afloat continuously from 1835 to 1861, passing around the world twice.
He married Nannie Seddon Dornin in Norfolk in 1859, fathering eight children, including Dr. Joseph Nicholson Barney, Jr.
In June 1861, while 1st Lt. Barney was on board the USS "Susquehannah" cruising the Mediterranean, he resigned his commission, returned to America where he joined the Confederacy, and was ordered to the CSS "Jamestown" which took part in the famous Hampton Roads battle which involved the USS "Monitor" against the CSS "Virginia" (Merrimac) fight. The "Jamestown" was then used to transfer ordnance from Norfolk, Va. to Richmond, running past Union-held Ft. Monroe at night.
When the Federal fleet came up the James River to attack Richmond, the guns of the "Jamestown" were moved off-ship and placed on Drury's Bluffs above the city, and the ship was sunk in the river as an obstacle. The moved guns then were very crucial in defeating the Federal fleet. This success won him a promotion to Commander for "gallant and meritous conduct", the only such promotion in the Confederate States Navy.
In 1862 he commanded the CSS "Harriett Lake", which had been captured from the Union at Galveston, Texas.
He was later ordered to France to take command of the CSS "Florida", English-built and outfitted in Brest, France. The "Florida"'s original commander had fallen ill, was replaced by Barney, who in turn fell too ill to command very long, and was relieved of command.
He remained in Europe until the end of the war.
Upon returning to Virginia, he lived in Powhatan County from 1866 to 1874, when he moved to Fredericksburg, Va. where he was a Fire and Life insurance businessman for 21 years, President of the Cemetery Commission (with his wife a very great help), a Presbyterian Church Ruling Elder, and was active in religious and charitable affairs.