Richard Strachan was a captain acting as commodore, with the 80-gun HMS Caesar as his flagship. He commanded the British force at the Battle of Cape Ortegal after earlier service in the American Revolutionary and French Revolutionary wars. Commodore could denote a senior captain exercising authority over other captains rather than a separate permanent flag rank in this period. Strachan later advanced to flag rank. His career shows how a senior captain could exercise small-fleet command before formally joining the admiralty ranks.
Notable Point · 22:02-22:53
Richard Strachan as a commodore
Captain Richard Strachan commanded as a commodore in HMS Caesar, showing how a senior captain could lead a small force before becoming an admiral.