Stafford Fairborne proposed an early attack at Cádiz, refused a West Indies command without promotion, and later served around Barcelona and Ostend. His advancement stalled when better-connected officers had to be accommodated, leaving a capable vice admiral outside the regular establishment. Fairborne shifted his flag into smaller ships when coastal waters demanded it and personally reconnoitered or led inshore attacks that other admirals would have delegated. That energy made him effective on the spot, although the author questions whether it also showed a reluctance to decentralize command.
Chapter · 3:06:31-3:10:57
Stafford Fairborne led inshore operations himself
A separate command chapter follows Fairborne's stalled promotion, amphibious service, smaller flagships, and habit of leading dangerous inshore work personally.