Charles Edgar Clark

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Rear Admiral Charles Edgar Clark (10 August 1843 – 1 October 1922) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War.

Born in Bradford, Vermont, Clark graduated from the Naval Academy in 1863. His Civil War service included command of Ossipee in the Battle of Mobile Bay and in the bombardment of Fort Morgan. Clark was promoted to captain in 1896.

In March 1898, he took command of the battleship Oregon at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, and when war with Spain was deemed inevitable, he received orders to proceed to Key West, Florida, with all haste. After a most remarkable voyage of over 14,000 miles, around Cape Horn, he joined the American fleet in Cuban waters on May 26, and on July 3 commanded his ship at the destruction of Cervera's squadron. For this high accomplishment, he was advanced in seniority, and was appointed Rear Admiral 16 June 1902.

He died at Long Beach, California.

[edit] Namesake

The destroyer USS Clark (DD-361) was named for him.

[edit] Reference

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.