What does the red mean?

[v0031]

Matthew Calbraith Perry was a sailor in the Navy in the mid nineteenth century. He was an avid sailor, diplomat, naval reformer, and advocate of the steam navy.
He served in the United States Navy for forty-two years. First he considered a career as a civilian merchant man, but decided to go into the navy. He was appointed to Lieutenant Perry of the brig Chippewa. Then Lieutenant Perry was promoted to First Lieutenant Perry of the Cyane. In 1821 Perry gained first command of the schooner Shark. He was transferred to the North Carolina. Then he was given the commanding post at the Brooklyn Naval Yards.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Brig is the type of ship to which he was assigned, and Chippewa was its name. Back in those days the initialism USS standing in for United States Ship was used only for ships of the line, tho you'll see it used in references today. The full formal name of the ship was the United States Brig Chippewa.