Essex was supposed to join Bainbridge's squadron, but the ships never met. Charles Stewart took command of Constitution in July 1813, while Bainbridge was envisaged as the squadron commodore operating from her. Had that arrangement developed, a crew accustomed to Bainbridge's orders would have needed to recognize Stewart's authority over the ship. The proposed difficulty concerns separating squadron command from command of the individual vessel. It remains a hypothetical conflict rather than a dispute shown to have occurred.
Notable Point · 41:22-42:56
Bainbridge and Stewart posed a hypothetical command problem
Keeping a former captain aboard as squadron commodore could complicate the new captain's authority over a crew accustomed to his predecessor.