Naval officer; born in
Princeton, N. J., May 7, 1774.
At the age of sixteen years he went to sea, and at nineteen commanded a ship.
On the reorganization of the navy in 1798 he was appointed a lieutenant.
He and his vessel and crew were captured in the
West Indies by a French cruiser in September of that year, but were released in December, when, returning home, he was promoted to the command of a brig.
In May, 1800, he was commissioned a captain, and in the ship
Washington be carried tribute from the
United States to the Dey of
Algiers, by whom he was treated with much insolence.
By threats of capture and a declaration of war by the
Algerine ruler,
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he was compelled to take an embassy to
Constantinople for that petty despot.
On his return, with power given him by the
Sultan,
Bainbridge frightened the insolent Dey, compelling him to release all Christian prisoners then in his possession.
He returned to the
United States in 1801, and he was again sent to the Mediterranean with the frigate
Essex.
Upon the declaration of war against the
United States by
Tripoli, in 1803,
Bainbridge was put in command of the
Philadelphia, one of
Preble's squadron.
On Oct. 11 the
Philadelphia struck on a rock neal
Tripoli, and was captured, with her commander and crew.
At
Tripoli Bainbridge and 315 of his men remained prisoners about nineteen months. On his return to the
United States, he was received with great respect, and in the reorganization of the navy, in 1806, he became the seventh in the list of captains.
Having obtained the rank of commodore,
Bainbridge was appointed to the command of a squadron (September, 1812) composed of the
Constitution, (flagship).
Essex, and
Hornet, and sailed from
Boston in October.
Off the coast of
Brazil the
Constitution captured the British frigate
Java (Dec. 26); and for this exploit the commodore received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal.
Other honors were bestowed upon him. In 1815 he was appointed to the command of a squadron of twenty sail, destined for
Algiers (q. v.), but peace was concluded before it reached the Mediterranean.
He settled disputes with the
Barbary States; and he again commanded in the Mediterranean in 1819-21.
From that time he was almost constantly employed in service on shore, being at one time president of the Board of Navy Commissioners.
He died in
Philadelphia,
Pa., July 28, 1833, and in that city was buried in Christ church-yard.
