William Radford - Naval Career 1865-1872: North Atlantic and European Squadrons

Naval Career 1865-1872: North Atlantic and European Squadrons

Commodore Radford was appointed April 28, 1865 to command the North Atlantic Squadron as Acting Rear Admiral. He transferred his flag May 15, 1865 from the Phlox to the Malvern, which remained his flagship during his tenure. He was called October 10, 1865 to oversee the Washington Navy Yard. He moved his wife, two daughters and three sons from New Jersey to a Washington, D.C. home in November. Radford was promoted to rear admiral July 25, 1866.

Radford left Washington January 20, 1869 with his family in tow and arrived in New York to embark on the Franklin to Lisbon, Portugal. After seventeen days of stormy passage, Radford arrived to take charge of the European Squadron and found all attached vessels, Ticonderoga, Richmond, Swatara, Frolic and Guard, lying at anchor in the harbor waiting for his orders.

As Radford performed his duties, his family traveled with him on the Franklin to Spain, Algiers, France, Holland and Italy. During 1870, the children attended school at Lausanne, Switzerland. A month after the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Radford relinquished his command August 10, 1870 to Rear Admiral Oliver Glisson. He travelled to Lausanne to retrieve his children believing any battles would be distant. After arrival in Paris, the surrender of the French Army on September 2, 1870 caused the Radford family to flee the advancing Prussian Army. At Havre they negotiated commercial passage to the United States.

Radford was listed by the Navy as retired on March 1, 1870. However, from October 1, 1870 through the next two years, he served on several Naval Boards of Inquiry chaired by Rear Admiral Joseph Smith, Rear Admiral Theodore Bailey and Vice Admiral Stephen Rowan.