Charles Wilkes without the Trent Affair

How might Charles Wilkes have been remembered if the Trent Affair had not happened?

Probably still as a notable officer, but his confrontational conduct could have produced the same later disputes and retirement-list outcome.

Wilkes would probably still have been remembered favourably for other parts of his career. Removing the Trent Affair would not remove the combative conduct that later brought him into conflict with Navy leadership. The same disputes could still have pushed him out of active service and left him a rear admiral only on the retired list. His reputation therefore depended on more than the public celebration and diplomatic damage of one incident. The answer separates the fame created by Trent from the persistent command problems shaping his institutional career.