The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-20
COMMANDER EVANS.
He is One of the Most Popular
Men of the Navy.
His Fine Record at Fort Fisher-Honorable
Wounds-Ex.Secretary Whitney Speaks
in Praise of Him.

Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch
NEW YORK, Jan. 19.-Probably no of
hcer IN the navy to-day is more widely
known or more universally popular than
the commanding officer of the cruiser York
town, Robert D. Evans, at present con-
| splcuous figure in the international
episode in which this country and Chill are
principals. There are those who think as
long as the Yorktown is in Gillian waters
1t will be Evans fight and if the diplomats
will only keep their hands off the com
mander will settle matters in hand
TO THE SATISFACTION OF ALL CONCERNED
The opinion is doubtless founded on good
knowledge of the man, who in spite of an
apparent rashness, is level-headed and
possessed of powers of discrimination.
Never was this more apparent than in the
time of danger or disaster on board ship.
Ihe right order was always given without
an instant's hesitancy and officers and
ships company were sure of knowing that
come what might, blow high, blow low,
they were sure OF pulling through all right.
Commander Evans is among
THE LUCKY oFFICEKs OF THE SERVICE
paratively so, when he was promoted TO
the rank of commanding officer and he
assumed It's responsibility at an age when
he was sufficiently elastic to carry on DUTY
without lear of what might possibly hap
pen. he frequently has said that the older
lleutenants of to-day would never make
good commanding officers, simply because
! they would be so old and so much accus-
toned to looking over their shoulders to
see what the captain wanted that when
| they Were in command and did not have
any "old man" to look to, they would be
timld and the responsibility would weigh
too heavily upou them.
All of the class of 1860, to which Evans
belonged, were graduated from tie naval
academy before they had finished their full
| course OF study, and were sent at once
aboard blockading vessels or cruisers in
active service. 1t was Acting Ensign
Evans in those days, and he was ordered to
| duty aboard the old side wheel steamer.
Powhattan, and assigned to one of the gun
divisions when a landing party was de-
tailed to
GO ASHORE AND BOARD FORT FISHER,
Evans buckled his sword and revolver and
went In command of his company of blue
! jackets. On rushing through the palisades
which reached from the fort, Evans. while
at the head of the column leading his men.
was several times shot by the confeder-
ates. Almost every one who was able dug
up mound of sand to protect himself from
the BULLETS. When he was first shot in the
body he kept on charging, but bullet
! through his leg brought him to the ground.
While lying there another bullet struck him
in the big toe. This made me mad said
he, and taking revolver from the man
who was shot down by his side, he emptied
every barrel of it at the gunners on the
| oil
cred to the troops under General Terry's
cammand, Ensign Evans was taken to the
hospital and the doctors, thinking to save
his life, proposed cutting off his leg. The
plucky youngster had just strength enough
left to take charge of the matter himself
and pleaded so ardently and so successfully
that the leg was spared. The result is that
! he has been lame ever since.
AS an example of the high opinion in
which the professional abilities of the com
mander are held by the naval authorities
may be mentioned his selection as
A MEMBER OF THE FIRST ADVISORY BOARD
that met under the presidency of the late
Rear Admiral John Rodgers to discuss the
matter of building up modern navy, and
| to recommend that steps should be taken.
Fighting Bob Evans is one of the best
officers in the navy said Ex-Secretarv of
the Navy William G. Whitney to reporter
today. When went to the navy depart
ment he was on leave of absence and was
doing some outside work Some time
afterwards Ireceived letter from Andrew
Carnegie, in which he referred to Evans.
and complimented him highly for his work
in the construction of certain bridge. Mr..
Carnegie said Evans was not only great
engineer, but one of the best Judges of iron
and steel he ever knew. We were about to
start on the Maine at that time, and when
Evans returned made him chief inspector
of the steel used in its construction. Yon
see it requires man who has thorough
knowledge of material and
KNEW EVANS WAS AN EXPERT.
He did not see any very active service from
that time until l left the department, but
afterwards he was put in command of the
YORKTOWN. AS to the questions which
Harrison says exist between him and the
Chill foreign minister, l only know what
the papers have printed and cannot pass
an opinion. However, l do not believe
Evans is apt to lose his head and do anv-
thing on the spur of the moment. He
knows what 1t is to fight, for
HE HAS MAGNIFICENT WAR RECORD
Although very young men, he went
through with great credit. His reputation
for bravery was firmly established az,
Port Fisher. We Americans appreciate
plucky men. Evans is one of the bravest
in the service. / have the highest respect