The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-27

ship 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 seventeen-knot battleship Iowa could
have beaten the Oregon II she had been as
hard pressed"
THE oREGoN's GREAT RUN.
In the early part Of this year he was de-
tached from the coast defence vessel Mon
terey while stationed at the Mare Island
Navy Yard, San Francisco, and ordered to
command the Oregon, relieving Captain A.
II. Mccormick who was in poor health.
On March 10 the Oregon started on her IA
nous trip Of II 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 l should like to speak Of. That is the
necessity for the immediate completion of
the Nicaraguan canal / sincerely hope
that my trip will make an impression on
Congress. hope that have not got here
too late to do some fighting"
The hope was fully realized The Oregon
was built at the Union Iron Works of San
Francisco She cost So, 10000.
Charles Edward Clark, like Rear Admiral
Dewey is a native of Vermont. He was
born in Bradford, August TO- 1912. His
father, James Daton Clark, moved to Mont
pelier in 1864, and was well known book
binder at the State capital, where he lived
till his death.
Through the influence of Justin S.Morrill,
member of Congress from this district,
young Clark was appointed a cadet mid
shipman to the United States naval acad-
envy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1860. and
in 1868 was ordered into active service.
From that time until the close Of the war he
was attached to the western gulf blockad-
ticpating in the battle Of Mobile Bay, Aug
ust 8, 1864, in the attack upon and capture
OF Fort Morgan, on the ODD of the same
month, and in several minor affairs on the
Mississippi river and the coast of Texas.
Since the war Captain Clark has been en-
ployed mainly on the Pacific and West
India stations, and has made several short
cruises on the coasts not only OF our own
country, but OF Europe. He has also been
on duty at the navy yards of Brooklyn, n.
Y, and Portsmouth, n. H., and during
the years 1870 IL and 3, was instructor in
the naval academy, and assistant to the
commandant of midshipman. He was
attached to the flagship OF Admiral Thatch-
er when Queen Emma was carried home to
the Sandwich Islands, and to the flagship
OF Commodore Rogers when that officer
urged in vain the English admiral to unite
with him and prevent the bombardment Of
Valparaiso. He witnessed also the severe
engagement between the Spanish fleet and
Peruvian batteries at Callao. He was on
board the United States ship Suwanee
when that vessel was lost near the coast Of
British Columbia, July 7, 1868, and when
the larger portion Of the officers and crew
were taken by Her British Majesty's ship
Sparrow-Hawk from Hope Island. on which
they had landed, he remained in command
of the party which was left to protect from
the Indians what had been saved from the
wreck, until relieved by steamer sent for
that purpose by Admiral Thatcher. Mr..
Clark was promoted, October, 1868, to the
grade of ensign; May, 1866, to that Of mas
ter February, 1867, to that of lieutenant,
March, 1868, to that of lieutenant comman-
der, Nov. 10, 1881, he was commissioned,
and was made captain on his assignment to
the coast defender Monterey, from which he
was detached, as stated above, to take COM
mand Of the Oregon. Captain Clark &C.
Quilted himself with honor in the various
positions which he has been called to
occupy. He was married April 8, 1859. to
Miss Mira Louis Davis, daughter Of W. T.
Davis, ESQ, Of Greenfield, Mass. They
March 10. 1870, and Carrie Russell, born
January 7, 1872.