He served on several ships throughout his short career. The following is his known service based on newspaper accounts. In 1837, he was
midshipman on the frigate with Commander John B. Nicholson. In 1840, he was a midshipman on the ship which was returning from the Pacific and Rio Janeiro with Captain J. M. McKeever. Clemson requested permission to sit for the midshipman exams in 1841 at the
Philadelphia Naval Asylum. He served on the in 1842 as
passed midshipman. The
Concord ran aground in November 1842 and then was abandoned. Clemson returned to the United States on the
barque Margaret Hugg along with surviving crew. By late 1843, he was serving as passed midshipman on the with Commander
Francis Gregory, Esq. In January 1844, Clemson served as passed midshipman on the with Commander Thomas W. Fennelon, arriving in
Haiti in June 1944 to protect the commercial interests of the United States. By late 1844, Clemson began his service as DO (duty officer) on the ship, , with Lt Commander Charles C. Turner. The
Erie was taking supplies to the west coast of Africa. In May 1845, Clemson was serving as
acting master on the with Commander Henry Bruce, when the
Truxtun captured the slaver ship,
Spitfire. By March 1846, Clemson was serving as passed midshipman on the with Captain
John H. Aulick. By late November 1846, Clemson was serving as acting master on the
brig with Lt. Commander
Raphael Semmes. The
Somers had been dispatched for blockade duty in the Gulf of Mexico during the
Mexican-American War. Clemson, along with 38 other crew, drowned on December 8, 1846 when
Somers capsized off
Vera Cruz in a squall while chasing a blockade runner. ==In memoriam==