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 Phlox to 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.

In March 1866, Radford was elected as a companion of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
He was promoted to rear admiral on July 25, 1866.

Radford left Washington January 20, 1869, with his family in tow and arrived in New York to embark on 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 Franklin to Spain, Algiers, France, the Netherlands 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 Theodorus Bailey and Vice Admiral Stephen Rowan.
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 Phlox to 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.
In March 1866, Radford was elected as a companion of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. He was promoted to rear admiral on July 25, 1866.
Radford left Washington January 20, 1869, with his family in tow and arrived in New York to embark on 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 Franklin to Spain, Algiers, France, the Netherlands 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 Theodorus Bailey and Vice Admiral Stephen Rowan.
William Radford