Was fleet captain used?

[Stryker65]

I've seen Captain Percival Drayton referred to as a Fleet Captain, at Mobile Bay, but was that rank actually used? I've seen others just refer to him as a "senior captain." Was it more similar to "Flag Officer"?

 

[Fairfield]

Wikipedia says, firstly: "Fleet captain is a historic military title that was bestowed upon a naval officer who served as chief of staff to a flag officer" but adds that the individual needn't be a captain by rank. Apparently the title is for a position (rather than a rank)--that is, as an intermediary between an admiral and the individual ships in his fleet.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I've seen Captain Percival Drayton referred to as a Fleet Captain, at Mobile Bay, but was that rank actually used? I've seen others just refer to him as a "senior captain." Was it more similar to "Flag Officer"?

It is probably more like a "Commodore" - not a rank, but a descriptive term granting authority over other ship captains. (This is just my guess as a former naval officer.)

 

[RedRover]

Wikipedia says, firstly: "Fleet captain is a historic military title that was bestowed upon a naval officer who served as chief of staff to a flag officer" but adds that the individual needn't be a captain by rank. Apparently the title is for a position (rather than a rank)--that is, as an intermediary between an admiral and the individual ships in his fleet.

That seems to be accurate. This is from some US documents in 1858 describing the "flag captain" or "captain of the fleet" (different terms for the same office)...

Evidently during the war, with larger fleets, actual captains were occasionally employed for the purpose...

 

[Stryker65]

That seems to be accurate. This is from some US documents in 1858 describing the "flag captain" or "captain of the fleet" (different terms for the same office)...

View attachment 543929

Evidently during the war, with larger fleets, actual captains were occasionally employed for the purpose...

Oh...so not an XO but more like a COS?

 

[RedRover]

Oh...so not an XO but more like a COS?

Something like that apparently. From Beeton's Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, vol. 1, 1870:

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

That seems to be accurate. This is from some US documents in 1858 describing the "flag captain" or "captain of the fleet" (different terms for the same office)...

View attachment 543929

Evidently during the war, with larger fleets, actual captains were occasionally employed for the purpose...

Another on spot post by @RedRover.

 

[rebelatsea]

I had seen that reference to Drayton being "Fleet Captain". In the Royal Navy that would have been "Flag Captain" ie the Captain of the Admiral's flagship. When his Flag officer was absent the position did have considerable authority if there was no other officer of Flag rank present.
.

 

[Stryker65]

Seems mildly wasteful to have a man of Drayton's talents being put on staff duty...

 

[RedRover]

Seems mildly wasteful to have a man of Drayton's talents being put on staff duty...

According to the US Navy Regulations of the era, a "captain of the fleet" had practical command of the fleet by giving his flag officer's instructions to its several vessels, like an executive officer to the Admiral or flag officer, who was busy commanding a fleet rather than the several component vessels. That appears to have been the job of the Captain of the fleet when so designated.

From the 1841 US Navy Regulations...

In action, while the flag officer is paying attention to defeating the enemy, the Captain of the Fleet pays minute attention to the several vessels of the fleet, and communicates and records the orders etc. and the movements of the vessels...

From the 1870 US Navy Regulations... should a fleet commander fall, the Captain of the fleet might assume command if aboard the flagship, until the next officer in seniority to the flag officer should assume charge...

 

[Stryker65]

According to the US Navy Regulations of the era, a "captain of the fleet" had practical command of the fleet by giving his flag officer's instructions to its several vessels, like an executive officer to the Admiral or flag officer, who was busy commanding a fleet rather than the several component vessels. That appears to have been the job of the Captain of the fleet when so designated.

From the 1841 US Navy Regulations...

View attachment 544000

View attachment 544001

In action, while the flag officer is paying attention to defeating the enemy, the Captain of the Fleet pays minute attention to the several vessels of the fleet, and communicates and records the orders etc. and the movements of the vessels...

View attachment 544002


From the 1870 US Navy Regulations... should a fleet commander fall, the Captain of the fleet might assume command if aboard the flagship, until the next officer in seniority to the flag officer should assume charge...

View attachment 543996
View attachment 543998

So...it seems the Fleet Captain was both an XO and COS!

 

[rebelatsea]

So...it seems the Fleet Captain was both an XO and COS!

Later than our period but Admiral Jellicoe's Flag Captain Chatsfield is perhaps better known here, Admiral Beatty was aid to have been vocal about receiving instructions from him<