Decatur, "you insist upon receiving powder as tribute, you
must expect to receive the balls with it."

In forty-eight hours the treaty was negotiated, giving to the United
States privileges and immunities never before granted by a Barbary state
to a Christian power.

In 1819 a quarrel arose between Commodore James Barron and Decatur. They
met at Bladensburg, Maryland, on March 22, 1820. At the first shots
Barron was dangerously wounded. Decatur was also hit, and he died the
same evening.

PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION

ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 4. No. 3, SERIAL No. 103

COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, INC.

[Illustration: IN THE POSSESSION OF THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

COMMODORE WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE

FROM THE PAINTING BY REMBRANDT PEALE]

The War of 1812

WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE

Monograph Number Two in The Mentor Reading Course

William Bainbridge was born at Princeton, New Jersey, on May 7, 1774. He
was a son of Dr. Absalom Bainbridge, a Physician of the town. He
received comparatively little education; for he went to sea in a
merchant vessel at the age of fourteen. A few years after this, while he
was the mate of the ship _Hope_, on a voyage to Holland he saved the
life of his captain, who had been seized by a mutinous crew with the
intention of throwing him overboard. On his return home, because of his
good conduct and abilities, he was promoted to the command of a ship in
the Dutch trade. He continued in command of various ships until 1798.

During this time the war between France and Great Britain made it
difficult for neutrals to carry on trade. Therefore as master of a ship
Bainbridge had to elude, or beat off a great deal of interference on the
part of French and British ships alike.

In 1798, when war was about to break out between France and the United
States and the American navy was organized, Bainbridge was appointed
commander of the United States Schooner _Retaliation_, of fourteen guns,
with the rank of lieutenant. In November his ship was captured by two
French frigates--but it was released shortly afterward.

Bainbridge sailed for the West Indies as master commandant of the brig
_Norfolk_. During this cruise he gave protection to the merchant trade
of the United States and captured several of the enemy's merchantmen.

In 1800 Bainbridge was promoted to the rink of captain. On the frigate
_George Washington_ he sailed to th