me part of the North Atlantic Squadron under the command of Rear Admiral William Sampson, which soon took up the blockade of Santiago. The captain made suggestions to Sampson on how to improve the blockade by employing picket boats closer to the harbor entrance, an idea which Sampson accepted and instituted. Clark also took one additional, and very important, step on his own. He kept all of his vessel's boilers lit, and all of the OREGON's engines engaged. Of all of the blockading capital ships, only Clark had the foresight to do this.
On July 3, as Captain Clark was dressing to go out on deck, alarms sounded, indicating that the Spanish Fleet was attempting to make its escape from Santiago harbor. Immediately, the OREGON's crew ran to their battle stations. The Battle of Santiago had begun.
The OREGON, with boilers and engines ready, was able to move quickly to pursue the enemy. The IOWA, by contrast, could only attain five knots! Even the speedy BROOKLYN and NEW YORK could only attain half their rated speeds since their engines were not coupled for high-speed running. The OREGON passed the entrance to Santiago Bay, loosing a volley on the PLUTON and the FUROR. She passed the IOWA with a bow wave that looked like a "great white bone in her teeth." The vessel sped past the other ships of the squadron until the OREGON found herself joining the BROOKLYN in attacking virtually the entire Spanish squadron.
First to fall was the flagship MARIA TERESA, as Spanish Admiral Cervera tried to save his other ships by sacrificing her. Next was the ADMIRANTE OQUENDO. Within twelve minutes, this vessel was ablaze and headed for the beach. By the time she engaged the next Spanish vessel, the VIZCAYA, OREGON was moving at sixteen knots. With continuing fire from the BROOKLYN and some direct hits from the OREGON, the VIZCAYA was soon out of the fight and headed for shore.
Of this moment, Clark would later write: "...I could feel none of the exultation that is supposed to come with with victory. If I had seen my own decks covered with blood, and my men and officers dying around me, perhaps resentment would have supplied the necessary ingredient, but as it was, the faces of the women and children in far-away Spain, widows and orphans of this July third rose before me so vividly that I had to draw comfort from the thought that a decisive victory is ...more merciful than a prolonged struggle..."
The last of the escaping Spanish vessels was the CRISTOBAL COLON, speeding along the Cuban coast, six miles ahead of Clark's OREGON and Schley's BROOKLYN. After a prolonged chase, when the OREGON had gotten within range of the OREGON's thirteen inch guns, the COLON knew the game was over and ran herself aground.
A little over a month later, the war was over. So was Clark's stay aboard the OREGON. The stress of the race around two continents, blockade duty and the battle combined with the tropical heat had weakened Clark. He was now seriously sick with a tropical fever. Clark was ordered to the ST. LOUIS and home. As he left the vessel in a boat rowed by his officers, his crew paid him a sincere tribute for the outstanding leadership he had provided while in command of their vessel.
Clark did recover, but didn't return to sea. In March of 1899, he was placed in charge of the League Island Navy Base, and then governor of the naval home of Washington DC. In June of 1902, Clark finally became a rear admiral. He served as the head of the Examination and Retirement Board until he himself retired in August of 1905.
Clark lived until the age of 79, dying on October 1, 1922. By this time, his amazing achievements in the Spanish American War were almost entirely forgotten. Clark was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
(As a service to our readers, clicking on title in red will take you to that book on Amazon.com)
Alden, Cmdr. John D., USN (Ret.), American Steel Navy , (Annapolis: United States Naval Institute Press, 1972).
Harris, Brayton, Lt Cmdr., U.S.N, Ret., The Age of the Battleship 1890-1922. (New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1965).