some others, who had spent their lives in their country's service, through intrigue and cabal, were thrown into the vale of obscurity and private life.

A

WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE.

WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE, Son of Dr. Absalom Bainbridge, respectable physician of Princeton, New Jersey, was born at that place, on the seventh of May, 1774. While yet a child, his parents removed to New York, and he was left inder the care of his grandfather, John Taylor, Esq., of Monmouth county, where he received his education, which, as he was originally destined to mercantile pursuits, was confined to the ordinary branches of English instruction, and the rudiments of the French language. At sixteen, he was placed in a counting house at New York, but was soon removed by his grandfather to Philadelphia, and placed as an apprentice to the sea service, in the employ of Messrs. Miller and Murray, merchants, whom he was to serve for a certain time without indentures and free of expense. In their employ, he made many voyages, and soon rose to command. At eighteen years of age, while mate of the ship Hope, on her way to Holland, the crew, taking advantage of a violent gale of wind, rose against the officers, seized the captain, and had nearly succeeded in throwing him overboard, when young Bainbridge, hearing the alarm, ran on deck with an old pistol without a lock, and being assisted by an apprentice boy and an Irish sailor, who was attached to him from being an old shipmate, rescued the captain, seized the ringleaders, and quelled the mutiny. So satisfied were his employers with this, as well as his general conduct, that before his term of service had expired, he received the command of a ship in the Dutch trade, when only nineteen years of age. From this time 1793, till the year 1798, he commanded

merchant ships in the trade from Philadelphia In one of these voyages, in the year 1796, on h Bordeaux to St. Thomas, in the small ship Hop small carriage guns and nine men, he had an with a British schooner of eight guns and thir commanded by a sailing master in the navy, smart action, compelled her to strike her co however, the two countries were at peace, and was acting only on the defensive, he could no session of her; but sent her off contemptuousl report of her action. The Hope lost no men, my had many killed and wounded.

In July, 1798, while preparing to sail for S ceived unexpectedly, and without any applica part, an offer of the command of the United Sta er Retaliation, of fourteen guns, to be employ France, against which power the United Sta cently commenced hostilities. He accepted t ment, on condition that he should have a con Lieutenant and commander in the navy, and first of that grade on the list of promotion. ceived this, he sailed in the Retaliation, and af during the summer along the coast of the Un accompanied the squadron under Commodore a cruise in the West Indies. While cruising to ward of Guadaloupe, the Retaliation was eaptu vember, by two French frigates and a lugger, into that island, where she remained three mo board the frigate which captured her, was Ge fourneaux, on his way to Guadaloupe, to supers Hughes in the command of the island. This sirous, as it would appear from his conduct, of be the friend of the United States, proposed to I Bainbridge to resume the command of his vess turn to the United States. This offer was acc by assurance of the respect and regard in whic the American people. His conduct, however, these plausible appearances but too suspicious. affecting an ostentatious generosity in giving up liation, other American ships, of far more value,

ained, and his assurances of respect were contradicted by he harsh and rigorous treatment of many Americans, whom he refused to regard as prisoners, but who were confined and treated with as much severity as criminals. sieutenant Bainbridge replied, that he knew of no other ight in which he could be regarded, than either as a prisoner or as entirely free-that if General Desfourneaux eturned him his ship and his commission, that commision required him to cruise against the commerce of France, n injunction which he dared not disobey. On the other and, if he were a prisoner, the proper course would be o make his ship a cartel, and send her home in that way. He remonstrated at the same time with great firmness gainst the treatment which his countrymen were daily eceiving. General Desfourneaux insisted on his resuning his command, threatened him with imprisonment if le refused, and declared that if, on receiving the Retaliaion, he should cruise against the French, every American would be put to the sword. Lieutenant Bainbridge replied, that no threats should induce him to act unworthy of his Echaracter as an American officer; till at last, finding that he was not to be won over to this plan of dissembled friendship, General Desfourneaux gave him a declaration, that he had been obliged by force to resume the command of his vessel, with her crew reduced to forty men; and with this justification for his government, Lieutenant Bainbridge sailed, in company with two flags of truce, for the United States.

He reached home in February, 1799, and his exchange being soon effected, he received a commission of Master Commandant, and sailed in the brig Norfolk, of eighteen guns, on a second cruise to the West Indies. Here he remained, convoying the trade of the United States, for some months, during which time he captured a French privateer, ran ashore another of sixteen guns; destroyed a number of barges, besides taking several of the enemy's merchant vessels. On his return to the United States in August of the same year, he found that, during his absence, five lieutenants had been promoted over him to the rank of captain. As his conduct had uniformly received the

approbation of the government, and as none of those who were promoted had had any opportunity of distinguishing themselves particularly, he remonstrated of course against such a violation of his rights. He received, however, no other satisfaction, than a promise that no such appointment should take place for the future. Were it not for this ir regularity, he would now have ranked as second captain in the navy. Although mortified and disappointed, his attachment to the service induced him still to remain in it; and he again sailed with a squadron of four brigs and a ship, destined to protect the trade of the United States to Cuba a service which he performed so much to the satisfaction of all who were interested in it, that on leaving the station in April, 1800, an address was presented to him from the American merchants and others concerned in the United States' trade, expressive of their regret at his approaching absence, and their testimony "of the vigilance, perseverance, and urbanity which had marked his conduct, during his arduous command on this station," and the "essential services which he had rendered to his country."

When he returned to the United States, he received a captain's commission, and was appointed to the command of the frigate George Washington, in which he shortly afterwards sailed for Algiers, with the presents which the United States were by treaty bound to make to that Regency. He arrived in safety at Algiers on the seventeenth of September, 1800, and proceeded to land the presents, which were well received, and every attention paid to Captain Bainbridge, to whom the Dey presented an elegant Turkish sword. In a few days, however, these friendly appearances vanished, and the Dey made a most unexpected and extraordinary demand, that the George Washington should carry his ambassador with presents to the Grand Seignior at Constantinople. This demand was made under pretence of one of the stipulations in our treaty with Algiers, by which it is declared that, "should the Dey want to freight any American vessel that may be in the Regency or Turkey, said vessel not being engaged, in consequence of the friendship subsisting between the two nations, he expects to have the preference given him, on his paying

arrassments.

the same freight offered by any other nation." Against this requisition Captain Bainbridge, and the American Consul, Mr. O'Brien, remonstrated warmly and strenuously. It was evident, they said, that this stipulation could apply only to merchant ships, not to national vessels, charged by their own government with specific employments;-that Captain Bainbridge had received positive instructions for his voyage, from which he dared not and would not deviate;-and that there were other ships in the harbour which would answer the purpose equally well. The Dey, however, persisted in his demand; and left Capain Bainbridge only a choice of great difficulties and emOn the one hand, an Ambassador, with a etinue of two hundred Turks as passengers, and presents o the amount of five or six hundred thousand dollars, were to be forced on board the frigate, and carried to Constantinople at the entire risk of the United States. If in the new and dangerous navigation to that place accidents happened to the Dey's property, the United States would be held responsible to indemnify him; if any cruisers of the Portuguese, Neapolitians, or other powers at war with Algiers, should meet the George Washington, and capture her, still the United States would be bound to reimburse the loss; and the American vessels in the Mediterranean would be instantly seized by the Algerines as a security for it. Should he be more fortunate, and beat off these enemies, they might consider this cover of Algerine property as a violation of neutrality, and think themselves I justified in retaliating on the defenceless commerce of the United States in the Mediterranean. Besides which, he would deviate from his orders, by undertaking for six months, a voyage not sanctioned by his government. On the other hand, a refusal to comply would occasion the detention of the frigate, which was now in the power of the Dey, and be followed by an immediate declaration of war against the United States, for this alleged breach of the treaty, and a seizure of all American vessels in the Mediterranean. In this situation, Captain Bainbridge opposed the Dey as long and as vigorously as possible. The Dey promised, that if a Swedish frigate, which was then expect