Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/164

BAINBRIDGE, Henry, soldier, b. in New York in 1808 ; d. at sea near Galveston, 81 May, 1857. He was appointed to West Point from Massa- chusetts, was graduated in 1831, served as lieuten- ant on frontier duty, became a captain 15 Juni', 1836, and served in the Florida war, in the military occupation of Texas, and in the war with Mexico. For gallantry at Monterey, where he was severely wounded in storming the enemy's works, he was brevetted major, 23 Sept., 1846. He became major in the 7th infantry 16 Feb., 1847, and was engaged in Contreras and t'hurubusco, gaining the brevet of lieutenant-colonel for gallant conduct, and in the assault and capture of Mexico. In 1849 and 1850 he served in the Seminole war. He was pro- moted to a lieutenant-colonelcy 11 June, 1851, and served in Texas until his death on board the steamer " Louisiana," burned in Galveston bay.

BAINBRIDGE, William, naval officer, b. in Princeton, N. J., 7 May, 1774; d. in Philadelphia, 28 July, 1838. His ancestor, who in 1700 settled in New Jersey, was the son of Sir Arthur Bain- bridge, of Durham co., England. Capt. Bainbridge's father was a descendant in the fifth generation from Sir Arthur. William, his fourth son, was dis- tinguished for his adventurous disposition in early youth, and, with a good education, he elected to follow the sea. He entered the merchant ma- rine at the age of fifteen, and at nineteen be- came command- er of a mer- chant ship. In 1796, while com- manding the ship " Hope," on his passage from Bordeaux to the island of St. Thom- as, he was at- tacked by a British schoon- er of eight guns and thir- ty men. Bain- bridge returned the fire and

kept it up until

the schooner struck her colors. The armament of the " Hope " consisted of foiir 9-pounders and nine men. He could have retained the schooner as a prize, but he merely hailed the captain and told him to " go about his business and report to his masters that if they wanted his ship they must send a greater force to take her, and a more skil- ful commander." This performance gave him a reputation in Philadelphia, and he could have had command of any ship sailing from that port. On one occasion, when the English razee " Indefati- gable," under the command of Sir Edward Pellew. afterward Lord Exmouth, impressed a seaman from on board the " Hope," Bainbridge boarded the first English merchantman he encountered at sea and took out of her the best seaman she had on board ; he then told the British captain that he might report that William Bainbridge had taken one of his majesty's subjects in retaliation for a seaman taken from the American ship " Hope," by Lieut. Norton, of the " Indefatigable." Though this afforded no redress for the original injury, it was designed to show British naval officers that the risrhts of Ameri- can citizens, as far as they were entrusted to Capt. Bainbridge's care, were not to be molested with impunity. In 1798 Bainbridge married, at the island of St. Bartholomew, Miss Susan llyleger, (laugiiter of a respectable merchant, and grand- daughter of John Hyleger, of Holland, for many years governor of St. Eustatia.

On the organization of a navy in 1798, to pro- tect American commerce against French cruisers, his character for bravery and intelligence se- cured for Bainbridge the command of the schooner " Retaliation," with the rank of lieiitenant-com- mandant. He was soon afterward captured by the French frigates " Volontier " and " Insurgent," but the schooner was returned to Bainljridge by the governor of Guadaloupe, and he proceeded with her to the United States, carrying many American prisoners, for whom, by his tact, he had obtained their liberty. For his services, Bainbridge was pro- moted to the rank of master-commandant, and given the command of the brig " Norfolk," of eighteen guns. The " retaliation act " against French citizens captured on the ocean, in the quasi war with France, passed at that time (1798), was due to Bainbridge's report of the outrages committed on American prisoners in the island of Guadaloupe. The " Nor- folk " was sent to tiie West Indies to report to Com. Christopher R. Perry, and performed most impor- tant service, captiuing the French lugger " Re- publican " and destroying other vessels. As an acknowledgment of these services, the merchants of Havana presented him with a most compliment- ary letter when he left the station. In May, 1800, Bainbridge was ordered to take command of the frigate " George Washington," to carry tribute to the Dey of Algiers. On his arrival at Algiers, much to his disgust, Bainbridge felt obliged to accede to a demand of the Dey to carry presents to Con- stantinople, and also an ambassador to the Ottoman porte. A refusal to comply with this demand would have resulted in depredations by the Alge- rines on American commerce, the American govern- ment not having realized the degradation entailed on it by paying tribute so that its merchant ships might pursue their vocations without being boarded by pirates. At Constantinople Bainbridge was received very kindly, and while there he paved the way to the first treaty between the United States and the porte. Returning, he arrived off Al- giers 21 Jan., 1801, and the Dey did all he could to entice him into his power and force him to return to Constantinople with presents, etc. ; but the " George Washington " was anchored beyond reach of the guns of the forts, and there remained until the Dey had given a solemn promise (after Moslem fashion) that he would not require Bainbridge to return. On this occasion Bainbridge had the pleas- ure of bringing an order from the sultan ftir the liberation of 400 Maltese, Venetians, and Sicilians, and, on his presenting a firman from the Capudan pacha at Constantinople (a great friend of Bain- bridge), the Dey from that moment treated him with great consideration.

On 20 May, 1801, Bainbridge was appointed to connnand the "Essex," forming part of the squadron under Com. Richard Dale, to cruise against the Barbary powers. In 1803 he was employed in superintending the construction of the "Syren" and " Vixen," after which, on 20 May, he was ordered to command the " Philadelphia," of 44 guns, of Com. Preble's squadron, fitting out to cruise against Tripolitan corsairs. Bainbridge sailed before the rest of the fleet, and, on his arrival in the Mediterranean, captured the Moorish ship-of-war "Mesh- boha," of 22 guns, for molesting an American