Union Navy the set of Army ranks. The most visible change was that henceforth some individuals would be designated commodore, rear admiral, vice admiral, and finally admiral, all new formal ranks, and equivalent to, respectively, brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general, and general. A doctrinal shift took place at the same time. Prior to the war, the United States Navy emphasized single-ship operations, but the nature of the conflict soon made use of whole fleets necessary. Already at the Battle of Port Royal (7 November 1861), 77 vessels, including 19 warships, were employed. This was the largest naval expedition that had ever
William Kerr (Royal Navy officer) William Kerr (Royal Navy officer) Commodore The Hon. William Kerr was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station. Born a younger son of the Earl of Lothian, Kerr was promoted to post captain on 14 May 1690 on appointment to the command of the fourth-rate HMS "Deptford". He transferred to the command of the fourth-rate HMS "Burlington" in 1696, of the third-rate HMS "Lenox" later the same year and of the third-rate HMS "Eagle" in 1700. He went on to receive the command the third-rate HMS "Revenge" in 1702. Promoted to Commodore, Kerr became Commander-in-Chief