Richardson Clover

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Rear Admiral Richardson Clover (July 11, 1846 - October 14, 1919) was an officer of the United States Navy.

Born in Hagerstown, MD, he entered the United States Naval Academy in July 1863 and graduated in 1867. He had a varied career in the service including being in command of the Coast and Geodetic steamer Patterson, which made surveys in southeastern Alaska in 1885 to 1886. Years later, he was appointed Chief Intelligence Officer of the Office of Naval Intelligence from November 1897 to May 1898 and then again from October 1898 to February 1900.

While on his first term as Chief Intelligence Officer, then-Cmdr. Clover was also member of the War and Strategy Board established by the Secretary of the Navy John D. Long to provide him with operational and strategic advice. One of the members of that board was Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt. However, when the Spanish-American War broke out, Clover left his position to take active combat position as commanding officer of the gunboat USS Bancroft from May to September 1898.

After his stint on the Bancroft Clover resumed his duties as Chief Intelligence Officer until February 1900, then was reassigned as the Naval Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in London from April 1900 to June 1903, during which he was promoted to captain on April 11, 1902. After a short hiatus at home he became the commanding officer of the USS Wisconsin from January 1904 to December 1905, while almost the same time becoming the Chief-of-Staff of the US Asiatic Fleet. Then after a one-year hiatus he became a member, then the president of the Board of Inspection and Survey from February 1907 to July 1908, during which he was promoted to rear admiral. He retired on July 11, 1908.

Clover was married to the former Mary Eudora Miller, who was the daughter of Senator John F. Miller from California. His daughter, Beatrice Miller Clover, married to Gen. Thomas Holcomb, who served as Commandant of the United States Marine Corps during the early part of World War II.

He died in Wyoming while on route from San Francisco, CA to Washington, DC. He is buried with his wife in Arlington National Cemetery.

Preceded by Richard Wainright	Head of the Office of Naval Intelligence (Chief Intelligence Officer) November 1897–May 1898	Succeeded by John R. Bartlett
Preceded by John R. Bartlett	Head of the Office of Naval Intelligence (Chief Intelligence Officer) (reappointed) October 1898–February 1900	Succeeded by Charles D. Sigsbee