What other forceful naval captain resembles Charles Wilkes in creating political trouble?
Short answerWilliam Sidney Smith is a useful comparison, though his clashes were mainly with his own government rather than foreign powers.
NotesWilliam Sidney Smith offers a narrow comparison with Wilkes as a zealous naval captain who created trouble. Smith repeatedly caused difficulty for his own government rather than provoking foreign governments in the manner associated with Wilkes. The comparison concerns independent naval initiative creating institutional friction, without suggesting an exact second Trent Affair. That distinction matters when comparing bold command personalities across different political settings. No particular Smith episode is identified in the brief response.