William Bainbbidge, an American naval officer, born in Princeton, N. J., May 7, 1774, died in Philadelphia, July 28, 1833. He had a command in the merchant service, when, upon the reorganization of the navy in 1798, he received the commission of lieutenant. In September of that year, while cruising off Guadeloupe, his vessel was captured by a French squadron, and he and his officers and men were held as prisoners until December following. On his return to the United States he was promoted, and appointed to the command of the brig Norfolk, in which vessel he cruised in the West Indies during a large portion of the trouble with France. In May, 1800, he was promoted to the rank of captain, and appointed to the frigate George Washington, which was ordered to carry a large amount of tribute to the regency of Algiers. After the completion of this mission the dey compelled him, by threats of capture and of a declaration of war, to convey an Algerine embassy to Constantinople, where Bainbridge during a stay of two months was treated with great distinction.

He returned to the United States in 1801 and was soon employed in the Mediterranean again in command of the frigate Essex. Upon the declaration of war against the United States by Tripoli in 1803, he was appointed to the frigate Philadelphia, one of the vessels of the squadron sent against that power under the command of Commodore Edward Preble. He displayed great vigor in this service, capturing on Aug. 26 a Moorish frigate with an American prize; but on Oct. 31 his vessel ran aground, and was captured and carried to Tripoli, where Bainbridge and his men to the number of 315 were retained as prisoners till the close of the war, a period of 19 months. On his return to the United States in 1805, Bainbridge was received with very general demonstrations of kindness and respect. A court of inquiry was held lor the loss of the Philadelphia, and the result was an honorable acquittal; and under the act of April, 1806, reorganizing the navy, he became the seventh on the list of captains. On the declaration of war in 1812 Capt. Bainbridge united with Capt. Stewart in an effective remonstrance against the government's project of laying up the ships of war through fear of the immense superiority of the enemy at sea.

In September, 1812, Bainbridge, now a commodore, was appointed to the command of a squadron, consisting of the Constitution, 44 guns (flag ship), Essex, 32, and Hornet, and sailed from Boston on Oct. 25 for a cruise. On Dec. 26, in a severe engagement off San Salvador, the Constitution captured the British frigate Java, 49 guns, the Java losing her commander, Capt. Lambert, and 174 men, and the Constitution 33 men. On his return to the United States Bainbridge was everywhere received with enthusiasm; congress voted a gold medal to him, and silver ones to his officers, and $50,000 were distributed to the crew as prize money. In 1815 he was appointed to the command of a squadron of 20 sail, intended to act against Algiers, but peace was concluded before it reached the Mediterranean. Bainbridge, however, during this command, settled disputes with the Barbary powers. Upon his return he was appointed to command afloat at Boston. In 1819-'21 he again commanded in the Mediterranean. From this time until his death he was almost constantly employed in important shore service, being for some time president of the board of navy commissioners.