St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-08-03


Captain Clark's official report to ADJ
riiral Sampson OF the naval battle did
full Justice to the skill and bravery of his
crew. In it he said:
81 cannot speak in too high terms of
the bearing and conduct OF all on board
this ship. When they found the Oregon
had rushed to the front and was hurry
ing to a succession of conflicts with the
enemy's vessels, il they could be over
taken and would engage, the enthusiasm
was intense. AS these Spanish vessels
were so much more heavily armored
than the Brooklyn, they might have con-
centrated upon and overpo wered her.
Consequently am persuaded that but
TOR the officers and men Of the Oregon
who steamed and steered the ship and
fought and supplied her batteries, the
Cristobal Colon and perhaps the Viz
caya would have escaped"
BY THE MAN BEHIND THE GUN"
That's one side Of the picture-the cap
tain's tribute to his crew. Here's the
other side, the story OF man behind
gun aboard the Oregon-a hearty tribute
to the goodness and gentleness of his
brave ommander-written to the Army
and Navy Journal off Santiago de Cuba :
Only the men who were with him on
July 3 know what kind OF man he is in
the heat of battle always what we call
good captain in the navy; none Of us
thought him as good as we found him
on that glorious Sd.
AS soon as the enemy was sighted he
went and stood on the forward 13inch
turret, where he could see every move of
Cervera, and headed the Oregon for the
nearest vessels which were the torpedo
boat destroyers. After q few shots our
6-inch knocked one destroyerin two the
other headed for the beach.
Then commenced the greatest run OF
tie day. The Cristobal Colon was
about 5000 yards ahead. on our star
board bow; the Brooklyn about 800
yards ahead and about 1000 yards on
our port bow.
NO HARM TO HIS CHILDREN"
Owe gained gradually until we could
get our 6.pounder to work. Then she
struck. All honor to Captain Clark. He
ashore, although they did not strike
their flag until after we passed them; and
the only thing that seemed to bother him
was the safety of his men, consistent
with putting his ship as near the enemy
as possible. He said several times dur
ing the fight to men who were fearless
enough to expose themselves to see what
was being done: Get under cover, chill
dren; | do not want any you hurt.
Mr. Cogswell, keep my children under
cover. Do not let any of them get hurt.
He also walked to the engine room
telephone and said, I suppose the men
are doing their best The engineer said
they were. Then the captain said,
That's all any man can do Then he
said to the men around him, Now, chill
dren, go and get something, if is only
little bread and butter
COOKS WERE AT THE GUNS.
We were then chasing the Colon. The
cooks were at their guns and the fires
were out.
This is a pen picture as near as my
poor talents can make it of the cool,
smiling man who by his bravery and
quick perception alone prevented the es-
cape OF at least two if not three oil the
OPdHtSu u ulSSlS dltSi liz udb dNSeAOyS NJ
one cruiser and destroyer.
To say that the crew of the Oregon
worship him is below the mark, as they
all recognize the fact that it was all due
to Captain Clark, as they know that our
sea.going 17-knot battleship Iowa could
have beaten the Oregon il she had been
as hard pressed"
THE oREGoN'S GREAT RUN.
In the early part of this year he was
detached from the coast defence vessel
Monterey while stationed at the Mare
Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, and
ordered to command the Oregon, reliev-
ing Captain A. H. Mccormick who was
in poor health. On March 10 the Ore
gon started on her famous trip OF IT,.
900 miles to join the North Atlantic
Squadron.
This run was the greatest ever made
by a war ship. Captain Clark said at
the end Of it:
ASIDE from the voyage, there is one
thing should like to speak Of That is
the necessity of the immediate compile
ton of the Nicarauguan canal. sincere
ly hope that my trip will make an i'm,
preston on Congress. l hope that
have not got here too late to do some
fighting"
The hope was fully realized. The Ore
gon was built at the Union Iron Works
OF San Francisco. She cost So, $50, 900
Charles Edward Clark, like Rear AID
mlral Dewey, is native of Vermont
ne was born in Bradford, August 10
lS42. His father, James Dayton Clark
moved to Montpelier in 1864, and wa'
well known book binder at the Stat
capital, where he lived till his death.
Through the influence of Justin S. Nor
mi, member of Congress from this dis
trict young Clark was appointed ;