In 1796 after returning from Brazil, Bainbridge served aboard the merchant ship Hope, a small vessel of 140 tons with four nine-pound guns.

īainbridge served aboard the small merchant ship Cantor in 1792. He was trained as a seaman in ships in the Delaware River, then considered the best 'school' for seamanship because of the great skill required to navigate that river.

In his teens William Bainbridge was already of athletic build and had an energetic and adventurous spirit. He was raised by his maternal grandfather, John Taylor, Esq., of Middleton, New Jersey as his father left for England in 1783 and his mother remained behind due to her ill health (though his father returned to the United States and died in New York City in 1807). William had two brothers: Joseph, who also became a Navy captain, and John T. His father, a loyalist during the American Revolution, served as a surgeon in the British Army and was convicted of high treason by the State of New Jersey and successfully filed for damages with the American Loyalist Claims Commission. William Bainbridge was born in Princeton, New Jersey, eldest son of Dr. Naval Commissioner.Įarly life Bainbridge House in Princeton, New Jersey, the commodore's birthplace. In the latter part of his career he became the U.S. Bainbridge was also in command of USS Philadelphia when she grounded off the shores of Tripoli, Libya in North Africa, resulting in his capture and imprisonment for many months. He commanded several famous naval ships, including USS Constitution, and saw service in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. During his long career in the young American Navy he served under six presidents beginning with John Adams and is notable for his many victories at sea.

William Bainbridge (May 7, 1774 – July 27, 1833) was a Commodore in the United States Navy.

War of 1812 and the navy