Commodore Homer Crane Blake (1 February 1822 – 21 January 1880) was a flag officer of the United States Navy, notable for his gallant but ultimately doomed battle with the CSS Alabama in his ship USS Hatteras in the action off Galveston Light during the American Civil War.

[3] After preparing himself for the naval service, and passing the regular examination,[1] Blake joined the Navy on 2 March 1840, soon after his 18th birthday, with the rank of midshipman.

[2] He was sent to the receiving ship Ohio at Boston,[1] remaining there until joining the frigate Constellation in December 1840, and making a cruise around the world.

A few weeks after his return in 1842 he joined the sloop-of-war Preble, serving in her as part of the Africa Squadron, engaged in suppressing the slave-trade.

[1] In 1850 Blake joined the frigate Raritan, bound for the Pacific, but was soon transferred to the sloop-of-war St. Mary's[2] with the rank of Acting-Master,[1] serving in the East India Squadron.

For a short time he commanded the Bibb, stationed in Lower New York Bay to intercept shipments of arms to the South.

His ship was assigned to the Port Royal expedition in November, but was delayed by rescuing the crew of the Governor during a violent storm, and did not arrive in time to take part in the engagement.

[5] Despite this Blake ordered his vessel to clear for action, hoping to capture the Alabama by boarding, or to disable her for long enough for the rest of the fleet to arrive.

Commodore Bell, having seen and heard the gunfire from twenty miles away, had immediately sent off three vessels to aid the Hatteras, but they were unable to find her in the dark.

William A. Parker, the Union naval commander, instead protecting the defences, retired and allowed them to be removed, leaving a clear passage for the enemy.

[2] After dark a party from Eutaw, commanded by Acting-Ensign Thomas Morgan boarded the abandoned CSS Scorpion and re-floated her, finding her not as damaged as believed.

[7] In a letter Admiral David Dixon Porter wrote to Blake, "Had your predecessor done as well, we should now be in possession of the entire rebel navy, and on our way to Richmond.

[1] Blake then served at the Navy's Bureau of Navigation at Portsmouth, New Hampshire[2] receiving promotion to commander on 3 March 1866.

In early June, while sailing up the Han River the American ships were fired upon from forts on shore, and Rodgers decided upon a punitive action to capture and destroy them in reprisal.

Accordingly, Alaska and her consorts got underway to resume their duties on the Asiatic station, finally sailing from Hong Kong on 28 October 1872 bound for New York.