1869, to March 1870, commanded the USS Cyane at Sitka, Alaska. He then joined the USS Pensacola at San Francisco, and was soon transferred to the USS Ossipee, with which he cruised to lower California and Mexico. He received a medal from the Massachusetts humane society for saving the life of a sailor by jumping overboard from the Ossipee during a gale in the Pacific Ocean. In September 1870, he was ordered to the South Pacific station and was sent home on August 22, 1871. In October 1871, he was assigned to the Charlestown Navy Yard. He took command of the dispatch boat at Norfolk, Virginia, on November 24, 1873, and on April 10, 1874, was transferred to the . In February 1876, he was ordered as executive officer of the USS New Hampshire, fitting out at Norfolk, to be the permanent flagship at Port Royal. A few months later he was assigned to equipment duty at the Charlestown Navy Yard, and in 1879 was transferred to the receiving ship USS Wabash. In 1881 he joined the USS Tennessee, in 1883 became lighthouse inspector, and in the same year was promoted to the rank of commander. He commanded the on the Asiatic station from 1887 to 1890. He then served at the Portsmouth Navy Yard from 1890 to 1893 and was on special duty from 1893 to 1894. He returned to the Boston Navy Yard from 1895 to 1896 and served as light-house inspector for the 1st District at Portland, Maine, from 1896 to 1897. He was promoted to the rank of captain on July 13, 1897, and assigned to command the cruiser USS Philadelphia in the Pacific squadron. He was at Mare Island, California on August 31, 1897, when he was ordered to the command of the cruiser USS , with which ship he went to Honolulu and thence to Hong Kong, China where the Baltimore became part of the Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey. He commanded the Baltimore at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. For eminent and conspicuous conduct in this battle he was advanced seven numbers in rank, which allowed him to be promoted sooner than he would have otherwise. For his service at Manila Bay, the Baltimore city council presented him an elaborate sword. His final assignment was as second in command of the Boston Navy Yard, under Rear Admiral William