The story has been told from the standpoint of the quarter-deck, the court room, and the department bureau. Here we have the artless journal of an unlettered sailor, written between decks, without the least notion that it would ever be read apart from his own family circle. The pages of his record give an insight into the mutual regard and confidence existing between the captain and his crew which made the voyage the memorable achievement that it was. Admiral Clark would be made of stolid stuff were he indifferent to the enthusiasm and loyalty manifest in the narrative in various ways, in none, however, more hearty and sincere than in the endearing designations of the "old gent" and "the old man." He was in fact fifty-four years of age when he became captain of the Oregon. Shortly before, he had been on special duty in the North Pacific at the head of a fleet of seven men-of-war, at that time the largest cruising fleet in our navy since the conflict with the Confederacy. Starting as midshipman at the Naval Academy in 1860, he had seen thirty-eight years of active and varied service in all seas. In the contest with Spain the commanders of the various warships were his associates at the academy. Sampson had been his instructor there; Gridley, who opened the battle of Manila, and Cook, who received the surrender of the Colon, were classmates; and Dayton, who rendered distinguished service at San Juan, was a relative. In the transition from wood to iron in naval architecture he has had command in every type of fighting craft beginning with the wooden Ossipee, when he took part at Mobile Bay in ramming the ironclad Tennessee, and, as ensign in charge of the forward guns, was the first to exchange words with the latter's commander as he came out of the casemate to surrender his ship, and ending with the Oregon.
The narrative which follows of the voyage from San Francisco to Santiago in 1898 was called to light by a communication of Admiral Clark to the press in the winter of 1907 relating to the Straits of Magellan. The writer of the narrative, who was a member of the Oregon's crew, sent it to his sisters through whom in consequence of reading the Admiral's mention of that ship's passage of the Straits, it came to him. The Admiral in turn showed it to friends, who insisted that copies should be printed for private distribution.
JOHN ADAMS AIKEN
Greenfield, Massachusetts
February 29, 1908
The Voyage of the
Oregon
So we started on the 19th of March and I will try and give you some idea of our trip on this side of the U.S. Capt McCommick got sick and had to be releived to go on sick leif. Capt Clark was in comand of the Monteray at the time and he was a young Capt too. there was no other one around there at that time, so he was detailed to take comand of the Oregon and a prowed man he was too, and we wer a prowed crew along with him. he was glad he got the ship and we wer glad we got him. we knew he was a good Seaman. any way he called us all aft on the quarter deck and read out his orders and told us that we wer going towards south America. I will now try and give you the trip.
March 19. 1898 Up anchor at 8 A.M. in San Francisco Bay. I had the 8 to 12 watch and we past through the Golden Gate at 9.15 A.M. and left the Fairwell Bouy at 10.5 A.M. and shaped our course for Callao, Peru, it being S.E. ½ E, and at the same time we drop over the Patent Log in the Briny. the Capt gave orders to give 75 turns and that brought her out about 11.5 knots. Every thing is runing smooth and all Hunk.
March 20. Sliding along at 11.8 knots gate. Every thing working beautyfull. nothing of interest going on, except the fine Wether.
March 21. Changed course at 10. A.M. to S.E. Will not put down any thing for some time to come as there is nothing unusal going on, But I wonder if we will get there to catch up with the Band Wagon.