The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-03 00:00:00

GENEILAL 1)E LACY EVANS, K.C.B.

The unusual incident. of the House of Commons communi-
cating its thanks through the Speaker to one of its CWII mem-
bers for gallantry in thee field of battle may excite s •fficieat
interest to justify a bri zf notice of former testinioniala to that
gallant member. It is now 44 years since Sir De Lacy Evans
was five times in as many months mentioned in despatches
published in the Loadoit Gazette for having specially distin-
guished himself, not as a favoured member of the staff, but
as a working soldier, who had been in ten battles and sieges,
numerous skirmishes, had ridden on horseback, without rest,
300 miles on exigent service, had five horses killed under
him, been three tines wounded, and had led three or four
desperate assaults in person, as desperate as any forlorn hope,
and was still no more than a subaltern officer—only (in poli-
tical influence) a friendless lieutenant.

For the sake of brevity we shall only notice as much of his
services as will make the testimcmials to his gallantry intelli-
gible

saving served three years in India in active operations,
beginning 1807 ; been engaged at the surrender of the Isle of
Bourbon and capturti of Mauritius, 1309-10 ; in the retreat
of Lord Wellington from Burgos, 1812 (wounded at llennoza) ;
engaged iu the battle of Vittoria, siege of Pampehma and
battles of Pyrenees, 1813 ; investment of Bayonne, and
battles near Toulouse (twice wounded, two horses kille 1 iu
action), 18 t4.—Lieut. Evans embarked with the small army
of Major-General Ross fur the United State:; in June, 1814.
It was resolved to strike a decisive blow in some more vul-
nerable part of the Sta es than had yet been done in the
previous two years of unhappy war between .America and
England. The city of Washington, capital of the nation, was
the point aimed at. The battle of Bladensburg (five mi'cs
from Washington) was foao-°ht on the 24th Of August, the
American army being totally routed, with considerable loss in
men, ammunition, and artillery. Lieutenant Evans behaved
with a gallantry which was the admiration of all who beheld
him. He had two horses killed under him.
The same evening ho was in front with a party reconnoi-
tering the defences of the city of Washington, preparatory to
its investment by the army. The design of the General was
to impose a fine on the capital, as a mark of humiliation, and
leave it. For this end a flag of truce was sent in. It was fired
on by the Americans. Lieutenant Evans solicited permission
to lead a storming party at once upon the redoubts and de
fences. This he did after dark, and was successful. The

official accounts state that befogs midnight, the Capitol, Se-
nate-house, House of Representatives, Arsenal, Dockyard,
the Treasury, War-office, President's Palace, Government
Rope-walk, a frigate, and several sloops of war in the dock-
yard, the great bridge across the Potomac, and a vast quan-
tity of ammunition, with powder magazines and artillery,
were destroyed. Mr. Glcig (Captain-General) records that,
" In destroying the cannon a method was adopted which I
have never before witnessed, and which, as it was both effec-
tual and expeditious, I cannot avoid relating. One gun of
rather a small calibre was pitched upon as the executioner of
the rest. Being loaded with ball and turned to the muzzles
of the others, it was fired, and thus beat out their breechings."
We believe It was in the ready resources of Lieutenant Evans
that this plan originated. At all events, he not only had
headed the assault, but Was charged with the duty of com-
pleting the destruction of all the Government property— a
duty which the terrible exigencies of a war which had not
been of his making or seeking imposed on him.
General Ross, in a despatch to Earl Bathurst, spoke of him
thus :

" I must beg leave to call your lordship's attention to the
zeal and indefatigable exertions of Lieutenant Evans, Acting
Deputy-Quarter Master-General. The intelligence displayed
by that officer in circumstances of considerable difficulty in-
duces me to hope he will meet with some distinguished mark
of approbation."
On the 12th of September following, in meeting an Ameri-
can army while advancing upon Baltimore, General Ross was
killed. The Americans were'again, though 6,000 strong, with
cavalry and artillery, routed by about 4,000 English. They
lost 500 men and several guns. Once more Lieutenant Evans
was gallantly conspicuous. The attack on Baltimore was
abandoned through Admiral Cockburn discovering that 20
vessels had been sunk in the creek to prevent his approach
to the harbour. The London Gazette records that Colonel
Brook, who succeeded General Ross in chief command, wrote
thus of General Evhns

"To Lieutenant Evans, 3d Dragoons, Acting Deputy-
Quartermaster-General to this army, for the unremitting zeal,
activity, and perfect intelligence which he evinced in dis-
charge of the various and difficult duties of his department,
I feel warmly indebted, and I beg to solicit, through your
lordship, a promotion suitable to the high professional merits
of this officer.

That this was not a mere compliment paid to a stair officer
is proved by what the Chaplain-General of her Majesty's
Forces wrote, himself a regimental subaltern in that service.
Speaking of the gallantry of General "toss, he says :
" Let me do justice to his successor and his advisu.s.
Of these latter there is one whom it would be improper not
to mention by name—l mean Lieutenant Evans, Deputy-
Assistant-Quartermaster-General. The whole arrangement
of our troops in order of battle was committed to hiM, and
the judicious-method in which they were drawn up proved
that he was not unworthy of the trust."
To relate all the services performed by Lieutenant Evans
in conducting the army and munitions of war through the
swamps, creeks, and forests of reads and sugar-canes in ad-
vancing upon and retreating from New Orleans, in oapturing
the flotilla, in assisting the disposition of the forces in the
various attacks, would require many columns of this jour-
nal. Suffice it to say that he was incessantly engaged in the
most laborious and hazardous duties from the arrival at Lake
Borgne on tho 10th of December, 1814, to the re-embarka-
tion at the end of January, 1815. In the action of "the 25tli
of December he was wounded severely, yet continued night
and day on duty ; and in the unsuccessful battle of the Bth
of January, was again severely wounded.
General Keane, who, in the first instance, had the chief
command, wrote of him thus :
" The indefatigable zeal and intelligence displayed by Lieu-
tenant Evans, of the Quartermaster-General's Department,
entitle him to the most favourable consideration." He was
in like manner mentioned in the naval despatches, and in those
of Sir John Lambert, who (Generals Pakenham and Glens
killed, and General Keane wotuided) succeeded to the chief

command. -
His subsequent promotions were, captain (in a West India
regiment), dated elle 12th of January; major, the 11th of
May; add lieutenant -colonel, the 13th of Jane, 1815; colonel,
the 10th of January, 1537; major-gcna.al, the 6th of Novem-
ber, 1846 • colonel-in-chief of the 21st North British Fusi-
leers the 29th of August, 1853 ; and lieutenant-general the
20th of June; 1854.
Returning to England from America in April, 1814, after
the capture of Mobile, he was in time to take part iu the
mighty campaign of Waterloo. He was incessantly engaged
in the Quartermaster-General's department, by night as well
as day, on the 18th, 17th, and 18th of June. On the 18th,
the Duke's aides-de-camp being nearly ail disabled or killed,
he 'borrowed the services of Major Evans from the Quarter-
'master-General. The major, though in battle all day, re-
mained unhurt, but lost two horses, one shot, another sabred.
He continued on the staff of the British army in Paris during
the next three years.
After being shelved as a military man for his political
Liberalism, he was selected by Lord Palmerston, in 1835, to
raise a British Auxiliary Legion in aid of the constitutional
cause in Spain, the British Foreign Enlistment Act being
suspended by the King in council to legalise the expedition.
After eight months of severe drill and endurance of hardships
unparalleled until the sufferings of the British army in the
Crimea, 1854-5, the Legion began a series of active operations
against an army of hardy mountaineers in their own fast-
nesses, far more remarkable for daring and enduring heroism
than for great political results. The first of these was fought
May 5, 1836. This resembled the battle of the Alma, except
that the heights stormed were a threefold range, each inter-
sected by orchards, walls, breastworks, and redoubts ; the
carnage, compared with the numbers engaged, was also
greater. Lord John Hay, commaudiug a naval squadron on
the coast, wrote of it thus to the Admiralty :
" I conceive their Lordships will not expect from me a
detailed account of the various movements of her Catholic
Majesty's forces (Spaniards and British Legion) during these
operations, the particulars of which are at this moment imper-
fectly known to me. I cannot resist, however, stating the
proud gratification I experienced in witnessing the gallantry
displayed by the- British Legion on this occasion. The in-
trenched position of the insurgents appeared impregnable ;
but one after tho other was stormed by these bravo men in a
manner that excited one universal feeling of admiration."
And of this action General Count Harispe, who commanded
the Western Division of the army of France, wrote to General
Evans as follows :

" Head Quarters, Bayonne, May 7, 1536.
" M. to Gen6ral,-- I have known for a long time the posi-.
tions which you have carried. I was also made acquainted
ahnost day by day with the preparations for defence. I could,
therefore, appreciate all the difficulties which your troops
have had to surmount. Whatever losses you may have ex-.
perieneed, the results of the combat do the highest honour to
the British soldiers,_ and above all to their officers, who have
given such brilliant proofs of devotedness and intrepidity.
Everywhere the new of this engagement has excited the most
lively spmpathy ; and I can assure you that no person will be
more delighted than mpself—an old general of the Empire—at
the triumphs gained by the arms of his Britannic Majesty.
" Count DE HARISPE,
" Lieutenant-General and Peer of France."
On the 28th of the same month General Evans attacked and
defeated his enemy. That enemy, greatly reinforced, attacked
him on the Gth of June, and was again defeated. Ou the 11th
of July and the 14th of August minor actions were fought,
with the like results. On the Ist of October General Evans
was attacked by a more formidable army than had before
come against him. It was defeated at all points, but with
severe loss on both sides. The coolness of the General that.
day, amid the deadliest fire, inspirited his troops to enthu-
Magill. But, indeed, his presence did that always. Ou the
10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th of March, 1837, the
Leg,ion, in alternate rain, snow, and frost was engned every
day, awl every day took new ground to the front. On the
16th, by the treachery of oue ally. and the inability to co-
operate of the other (Espartero), General Evans, who had
only about 4,000 effective English and 5,000 Spaniards was
attacked by 18,000 of the elite of his enemy. He retreated
about one mile, with a loss of 600 men, but saved every gun.
This was the only retreat which occurred from the beginning
to the end of the service.
From the 4th to the 17th of May following his army, Eng-
lish and Spaniards, were engaged almost daily. On the 15th
the fortified town of Irun was invested, and, after a terri-
ble cannonade, was carried by storm at two points at eleven
o'clock next day. Seven hundred prisoners were taken.
Though full of stores of intoxicating liquors, and though de-
fended, desperately by an enemy who had never spared a
prisoner taken from the British Legion, the General had his
whole force paraded outside the town, @ober and orderly,
within four hours of its capture, except men on duty. Such
was _the perfect discipline to which ho had brought it by his
ceaseless attention to its training ; a discipline -which rendered
4,t;00 men worth four times the number of soldiers (no matter
how well drilled in a barrack-yard), who had not been inured
to active warfare and its unavoidable hardships.
Of what Cameral Evans has done since it is unnecessary
that the present writer should say a word. The country knows,
and. the :House of Co:unious has spaken for the coaatry.

4081,4sLci
uCkir,liSn,ll,lP: Is LIVERPOOL—The fine new clipper
1,475 a.,:d et, latter
Millers and Th:;ttn.
and Bride of the Sol—the fonner
if the moitg:,,,ee,"/":,
1,314 tons—belonging to Me,srs.
wtre sold by surfon, by order
T. R. Arnolt. Tim tc% 1%11.`"A(13Y, in .Liverpoo', by Mr.
second trip to Melb,,ur-nt,lngi Star'iS at p:esent on her
made
atranrward hound from the
L'ontbap•
_run from Liverpool to
and Vic Pri,!e of the tkaiil:'l_•ll Government emigrant?,
The first realised
East Indies—Lavirg
for the two of
rather low
purchaser
assumes Geelong and from Geelong to
8,0501. and the latter 0,850t1.,130,-"labaY.
14,000/• At first sight this would appeartoL3l
figure, but when it is considered tattje
assumes all ate expenses upon tie ships froml
until the completion of their prtsent voyages, without.
the privilege of receiving any. portion of the freights they
are earning, it will be admitted the vessels have realised
their value. The freights are estimated at 15,0001.,
making with the purchase money 30,000/. in round num-
bers—an average of 101. per ton.