 He was promoted to the rank of "lieutenant de vaisseau" in November 1856.From 1864 to 1866 Courbet served on the two-deck broadside ironclad battleship "Solferino" as aide-de-camp and secretary to Admiral Bouët-Willaumez, commander of the "escadre d'évolutions".He was promoted "capitaine de frégate" in August 1866 and posted to the ironclad frigate "Savoie" as chief of staff to Admiral de Dompierre d'Hornoy, commander of the North Sea and English Channel naval division.