The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-02-21


a good chance of getting away and |
sending the Brooklyn to the bottom If
she interposed. But the Teresa and |
Oquendo turned to the shore only |
when the Oregon came up with them
and her fire had left them powerless to
continue the fight. In the case of the
conquest of the Viscaya and the Colon
there is no shadow of question but that
the credit and glory belong directly to
the Oregon-and the dominating, in
spring, commanding spirit of the Ore
gon was Captain Clark. The Oregon,
for her part in the battle, received the
ovations of the fleet from the flagship
down, and the prisoners from the CO.
lon accurately sized up the situation,
when told the name of the ship, with
the suggestive exclamation, 80 that's
that Yankee devi' All the official re-
ports, from that of the commauder-in-
chief down to the commanders of indi-
vidual ships, concur in awarding the
chief honors of the battle to Captain
Clark. There was no Jealousy regarding
him; his character disarms unfriendi-
ness. The fierce light that has beaten
on every act and incident of the battle
has detracted nothing from the credit due
to Captain Clark. His honorable share
in the glory and his decisive part in the
effectiveness and completeness of the
annihiiation of the Spanish squadron
increases with a knowledge of the &C.
tails of the fight.
Captain Clark's solcitude when
steaming up the Brazilian coast to reach
the West Indies was prophetic, and
prophesy was fulfilled in the decisive
part the Oregon took in the battle of
Santiago. Taking the ship into action
on the eventful third of July was a
lighter responsibility, lesser achiev-
ment, than bringing her up the coast of
Brazil into the radius of Cervera's
dreaded squadron. The records show
how herocally and with what consum-
mate skill, courage, good judgment and
success this feat was accomplished, the
government having thrown the whole
responsibility of his course upon Cap.
tain Clark himself, -but the records do
not show that the authorities at Wash
ington had suggested to the Oregon's
commander that delays in Brazil would
be approved. Notwithstanding this
considerate hint, this Bayard of the sea
pushed straight on, his guide "the
cleaning Northern STAR" The vision
that duty and patriotism presented to
the eye of the sturdy Vermonter, while
disclosing the perils that lay in his path,
was crisis in the waters of the West
Indies in the death grapple with the
| powerful Spanish fleet, and the Oregon
not on hand to save the day, as did his
ancestors, the Green Mountain Boys,
under Seth Warner at Bennington.
Captain Clark was denied the glory of
fighting and whipping Cervera, alone
and gle-handed, but the meeting
was simply deferred, not lost. At San
tiago his battle fervor was gratified and
he fought and ex.inguished the hostile
squadron, piecemeal, strung cut along
the sea, as he had planned to do bad
the encounter come in the waters off
the coast of South America-and the
honor and distinction and the merit of
the achievement are not diminished by
the postponement o. changed circum-
stances of his victory
What has his government done in
the way of recognition of Captain
Clark's unusual service? Captains of
ships of the blockading fleet who were
not in the battle, or who took a second
airy though gallant part in the days do
ings OF July 3, 1898, have been advanc-
ed to the rank of rear admiral; the
captains of the Manila feet have been
pushed up, with the result that Captain
Clark is lower in rank today than be-
fore he sailed the Oregon round the
Horn and fought the battle of Santiago
de Cuba, aud the government doesn't
seem to be in any hurry to remedy
this injustice, or evince any purpose 10
remove the shame and reproach.
Captain Clark is now twenty-fourth on
the list of captains. He is forty-third
from the head of the navy-where he
should at least be second There are
now nine men ahead of him that are
younger than he is. This means that,
in the ordinary course of promotions,
Captain Clark will never get to be SEN
Tor rear admiral, 1t causes the loss of
1000 year while he is on the active
list, and 81 500 year while on the re-
tired list.
Captain Clark's name and fame in
the naval history of his country are Sc
cure. He will stand with the nations
| ho.ooe No oao atooa l.,