The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-10-06

navy contain no DTlSlIeT pages
than those upon which are mar
rated the splendid achievements
of Captain Charles E Clark, who,
in 1898, as commander of the
battleship Oregon, brought his
noble vessel from the far Pacific
to Cuban waters, at phenomenal
speed, arriving at Santiago de
Cuba in time to act a gallant
part in the destruction of the
Spanish fleet.
Charles Edgar Clark was born
in Bradford, VT, August 10, 1843.
His parents we're James Dayton
and Mary (Sexton) Clark, both
of whom were natives of the
State, the former born in Brad
ford and the latter in Brookfeld.
He was educated in the common
schools, and in 1860, shortly after
coming to the age Of seventeen.
was appointed to the United
States Naval Academy. In 1863
he was made acting ensign, and
assigned to duty on the steam
sloop "Ossipee," of the Western
Gulf Blockading Squadron, and
was thus engaged until the close
of the civil war, participating IN
some of the most notable naval
operations conducted by the
heroic Farragut. In the battle
of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864, a
few days before his twenty-frst
birthday, Ensign Clark command
ed the forward division on board
his ship, which rammed the rebel
ironclad Tennessee" Admiral
Buchanan'S flagship, and he per-
sonally answered the hail from
the officer who rendered surren-
der. In operations against Fort
Morgan, from the beginning of
the bombardment under the sur
render, August %, 1864, Ensign
Clark commanded the quarter
deck division. In 1865 he was as
signed to the steamer Wander
bilt," attached to the Pacific
Squadron. He was promoted to
master, November 10, 1866, and
to lieutenant, February Fl, 1867.
In the latter year he was trans
ferred to the "Suwanee," and he
received his commission as lieu
tenant-commander on March IL,
1868. He witnessed the bonn
bardment of Valparaiso by the
Spanish fleet and it's defeat by
the batteries at Callao. The "Su-
vance" was wrecked July Z, 1868,
near the northern extremity of
Vancouver island, and Lt.-Com-
mander Clark was left in COM
mand of party of sailors on
Hope Island, after the remainder
of the crew had been taken off
by H. M. S. "Sparrowhawk," and
he and his men were afterwards
taken on board the Steamer New
World" ....
In 1868-69 Lieutenant Com
mander Clark was on duty on
board the receiving-ship Van
dalia," at Portsmouth, N. H. In
1S69-70 he was with the North
Atlantic Squadron, first on the
steamer Seminole" and then on
the ironclad Dictator" For the
next three years he was on duty
at the Naval Academy, and dur
ing this period Tin 1879 he was
with the Saratoga" on her prac-
tice cruise. In 1894 he was on
the coast defense monitor Ma
hopae," on the North Atlantic
station, and from 1874 to 1877 on
the Hartford" "Monocacy" and
"Kearsarge," on the Asiatic sta
ton. Returning home, he was
Tin 1870 placed on duty in the
Boston Navy Yard, where he re-
NAMED for two years. In 1879
80 he was attached to the torpedo
instruction station at Newport,
R. I. From July to December,
1881, he was executive officer OF
the training-ship New Hamp-
shire" and commanded the YES
sci in 1928. He was promoted
to commander on November Is,
1881.
Commander Clark was assign
ed to the command of the steam
ship Ranger" and had charge
of the survey Of the west coast
of Mexico and Central America,
1886. From 1887 to 1891 he
was inspector of the Ninth Light
Lo,,eo District uyifh station at