Bent was appointed Flag Lieutenant on the Powhatan after the Treaty of Kanagawa opened access of US to Japanese ports. His duties under Cmd. Perry were diplomatic, but he tells a story of his own belligerent behavior to Japanese officers.
p. 4: A number of natives were off to the Entertainment & seemed greatly delighted, but somewhat bewildered by the naval appearance & antics of the “Niggas of the South”
File also has a daguerreotype portrait of Bent [AC19,344]—there was a daguerreotype camera on the expedition.