The American Spirit
The Story of Commodore William Phillip Bainbridge
by
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Why should people read The American Spirit? To start with, to appreciate how the United States Congress was having long and passionate debates over two hundred years ago on how to deal with Muslims jihad against American merchant ships; Muslims were exercising their wrath against all of the Western world though violence against merchant vessels. The reader needs to be aware of the American struggle for free enterprise, the right of merchants to enter into international trade without extortion in the early fragile years of the Republic from Great Britain, France, as well as North Africa. The authors of the U.S. Constitution were concerned with the limits of government in the lives of free people; defense of the right to freedom was recognized as centralize government responsibility not the restriction of free enterprise. The reader will experience the life of Captain William Phillip Bainbridge and understand his devotion to fighting for free enterprise so it could be preserved. Bainbridge was among many who wanted the young United States to grow and prosper as a free nation. The employment in early America was being increased by private enterprise creating prosperity, not government. Governments duty to free enterprise was well expressed in the Constitution, to protect it. The reader through the extraordinary service of Bainbridge's unselfish dedication to the critical years of the American economy and growth, needs to be understood and replicated in today's turbulence of a failing economy, times of rapid expanding government and the shrinking of jobs in the private sector. The reader of The American Spirit needs to be aware of 19th century history of private enterprise trading internationally to appreciate the sacrifices of life's lost to obtain and preserve the right to free trade. The history of leaders like Bainbridge inspired what was set forth in the Constitution, the right of men to be free to create not to be stifled by government control. The reader will realize the importance placed in the new government of the United States to focus on providing defense for the people of the new nation. Defense to defend the rights of free enterprise
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About the Book
Members of the United States Congress where having long and passionate debates over how to deal with radical Islamist doctrine that permitted and practiced brazen extortion on non-Muslims merchants ships. Some Americans wanted to talk with the pirates to convince them that their actions were wrong. Some of our citizens and politicians wanted to continue paying ransom, thinking the problem would eventually go away. The Muslim terrorists in Northern Africa, with the approval of the Dey of Algiers, were sworn to carry out jihad against all Western powers. Captain William Bainbridge suggested that a continuous policy of burying ones head in the sand was going to shut trade off. Bainbridge takes tributes to the Dey of Algiers.Bainbridge lost his ship and was captured in 1803 and imprisoned until 1805. Hostilities against Americans was plenteous. Americans at sea were thought to be weak and easily intimidated. The book details Bainbridge's victorious sea battle in 1812 of Old Ironsides defeating the British war-ship, HMS Java. President Jefferson addressed Congress: “Gentlemen we must change our non-defense attitude. The lack of a United States navy has placed us into accepting the domination of England over the European seas. The Congress would rather lose the war without defending the United States rights. "May our country never be reluctant to spend money for those who spend their lives for us.” Bainbridge was standing near the wheel when the ball hit and drove a small copper bolt into his thigh. This was a dangerous wound that laid him out on the deck. The cries of the wounded was an eerie and constant reminder of the carnage that was taking place on the ship. Cries of help were going unnoticed, many were not heard because the roar of the cannons had deafen most of the ship's crew.
About the Author
The author is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, BA degree in Journalism and was the “Outstanding Journalism Student of the Year;” In recent years he has authored the family saga, Seas of Courage, Chronicles of a Traveling Aficionado, America’s First Flag Officer, Dependency- Denial of Reality, and Assassin-Denial of Reality II. He has written for various newspapers and other publications. The author has written lengthy travels pieces on trips to Europe, South America and multiple cruises in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.