To the student of the history of our Navy, the term “Commodore” is most familiar and carries with it associations of heroic deeds, and stirring scenes bound to thrill the heart of the American patriot. Such men as Perry, Preble, Decatur, and Macdonough, to whom the title has been attached, have given distinction to it, and have added glory to the nation’s arms.
The first man to whom the term was applied in the American Navy, as distinct from the navy of colonial times, was Esek Hopkins, a brigadier-general of Rhode Island militia, and brother of the governor of Rhode Island. On December 22, 1775 the Continental Congress granted him the commission of “Commander- in-chief of the American Navy,” and placed him in charge of a squadron of four ships already purchased by the naval committee. In nearly all accounts of this officer, he is mentioned formally as Commodore Hopkins, though he was addressed officially by Washington as admiral. His rank in the Navy was intended to be equal to that of Washington in the Army.
When, in 1779, John Paul Jones was cruising in European waters with five ships under his command he was known as Commodore Jones, although the highest commission ever held by him in the American Navy was that of captain, conferred on him on October 10, 1776- This would seem to indicate that “Commodore” was merely a courtesy title, and applied only to the senior officer of a squadron, even though his actual rank might be below that of captain. Commodore Perry and Commodore Macdonough had not been promoted to the captaincy when the one conquered at Erie, and the other at Champlain. But when afterwards promoted, Perry’s commission was dated September 10, 1813, and Macdonough’s September 11, 1814—the dates of their victories.
The first official recognition of the title to be discovered appears in the famous “Navy Regulations” issued by the Board of Navy Commissioners in 1818. The regulations provide that “Commissioned officers of the Navy of the United States are divided into the following ranks and denominations: Commodores, commanding squadrons; Captains, commanding frigates and vessels of twenty guns; Masters commandant, commanding sloops, and Lieutenants.” The regulations further provide that a commodore shall have rank equivalent to a brigadier-general in the Army.
This ruling of the Commissioners evidently led to considerable controversy in the service, and probably caused some embarrassment to the Navy Department, for in the “Rules of the Navy Department regulating the civil administration of the Navy of the United States,” published in 1832, we find a ruling of the Secretary dated February 1, 1822, concerning the rank of “Commodore”: “This title cannot be recognized by the Department until established by law.”
That the Secretary saw the need for higher rank in the service there can be no doubt. For, on December 2, 1822, President Monroe transmitted to Congress a plan devised by Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson “For the peace establishment of the Navy, and of the Marine Corps.” Among other provisions this plan provided for two grades above that of Captain—to be known as “Commodore” and “Rear-Admiral.” “These grades,” wrote Secretary Thompson, “are considered .... of very great importance for the due subordination and discipline of the service.” Congress, however, did not see fit to create these grades, and the rank of captain continued to be the highest rank in the United States Navy.
Again on January 30, 1824, President Monroe transmitted to Congress a plan prepared by Secretary Samuel L. Southard for reorganizing the naval establishment. Among other measures he urged the creation of three grades above the rank of captain as follows: Vice Admiral, Rear Admiral, and Commodore.
Secretary Southard argued strongly in his report the vital necessity of these grades. He stated that it was difficult for the commander of a squadron to enforce discipline unless he held higher rank than the individual commanders of the vessels of his fleet. He stressed the fact that strenuous effort would be made to acquire the professional knowledge necessary for positions in these higher grades, thus resulting in a more highly trained personnel, and in the general good of the service.
Congress, however, ignored his advice, and it was not until the Civil War period that it saw fit to create a grade above that of captain in the service. On July 16, 1862, nine grades of line officers in the Navy were established, and provision made in the measure for eighteen commodores. The bill provided that a “Commodore” might command a squadron, he chief of staff of a naval force commanded by an admiral, rear admiral, or vice admiral, or he might command a ship of the first class or a naval station. His rank was to correspond with that of brigadier- general in the Army.
On July 25, 1866, Congress raised the number of commodores from eighteen to twenty-five, but on August 5, 1882, reduced the number to ten. Their status was thus maintained for nearly seventeen years. By the Navy Personnel Act of March 3, 1899, the grade of commodore was omitted from the active list, and the ten commodores then on the list were promoted to rear admirals. This act, while abolishing the grade of commodore on the active list, did not affect the rank of officers then on the retired list having the rank of commodore, and contained several provisions for the future retirement of officers with that rank under certain prescribed conditions.