In the battle of Mobile Bay young Clark was on the forecastle of the
“Ossipee,” then holding an important position in the line of ships that
swung past the torpedoes after the gallant Farragut in the “Hartford.”
The forecastle was bare of any defence, and the position was exposed
to all assaults of the fire, first from Fort Morgan and then from Fort
Gaines, farther up. When the forts were passed, there followed a fierce
fight with the gunboats and the invincible ram “Tennessee.” Again and
again the “Hartford,” “Ossipee,” and other vessels of the fleet rammed her
in succession, and young Clark saw her terrible ports fly open and send
out just by him their awful discharge.
At last, however, she became unmanageable, her shutters were jammed, and
the “Ossipee,” under full head of steam, was making for her. But while
Clark was straining his eyes through the smoke, a white flag was hoisted
in token of surrender. Clark shouted to Johnson, the commander of the
ram, to starboard his helm. But the reply came that his wheel-ropes were
shot away. It was too late to keep from striking her, but the force of
the blow was broken by the manœuvre. This early experience was followed
by the bombardment of Fort Morgan,--two important actions before Clark
had got into his early twenties. His fearlessness then, as now, needs no
mention.