Commodore William Bainbridge

About.com Military History. //// Born May 7, 1774, in Princeton, New Jersey. Fought in the Quasi-War with France and First Barbary War. //// In 1800, commanded the 32-gun frigate USS George Washington when he was forced to surrender. Then, he was in command of the frigate USS Philadelphia and, while chasing a Tripolitan ship, struck an uncharted reef and forced to surrender. The Philadelphia was later destroyed by the daring attack of Lt. Stephen Decatur. //// Commanded the schooner Retaliation and forced to surrender to two frigates. //// During the War of 1812, on September 8th, he received command of the USS Constitution which had recently defeated the HMS Guerriere. He and the USS Hornet went to Sao Salvador, Brazil, and blockaded the HMS Bonne Citryenne. //// He left the Hornet and went looking for prizes and fought the British frigate HMS Java and won, but was wounded twice. //// Afterwards, he commanded the Charlestown Navy Yard for the rest of the war. //// A Man With a Very Checkered Career. Kind of the Thomas O. Selfridge (Civil War) of the War of 1812, Only He Often Had His ships Captured., --Brock-Perry