Both Perry and Farragut had learned under William Bainbridge, and Perry carried that organizational style into senior command. Because the US Navy activated only part of its force, he could choose officers whose judgment he already trusted. Farragut belonged to the still smaller group Perry was willing to send beyond direct supervision. That mattered in a war where a poorly judged encounter could supply a European power with a pretext to intervene.
Chapter · 44:45-46:57
Why Perry trusted Farragut to operate independently
Matthew Perry chose Farragut not merely for Mexican-American War service, but for the smaller group trusted to make diplomatic and operational decisions beyond the commodore's sight.