The times., 1898-04-03
CAPT. EVANS, U. S. N.
Trom the Philadelphia Times.l

His is a striking personality. His
whole being breathes force but he is not
what women would call a handsome
man. His countenance is fierce. In fact
upon the occasion of a public dinner
Gen. Nelson A. Miles, now chief in COM
mand of Uncle Sans soldiers, after the
handsome appearance of Army officers
had been commented upon, said in the
course of a speech: THE two uglieSt
men in the United States service are its
two most courageous men, Caps William
Wallace of the Army, and Capt. Robley
d. Evans, of the Navy" Wallace was
Known among his comrades as Ugly
Wallace. He was killed while bravely
battling at the famous Sioux Indian fight
at Wounded Knee.
Fighting Bob has halt in his walk
The lower part of his left leg is badly
twisted backward, the result of a wound
ed knee received during the storming of
Fort Fisher. lie was then a midShipman
who had been graduated from the Naval
Academy one year ahead of his time
When the sailors and marines had been
landed, storming party of about one
hundred men was told off and volunteers
eiSFNCu iOi " lCdtl II. L our SICDDFu IOG-
ward, Among them was Evans. They
tossed a coin for the perilous honor.
Evans won.
He was the first to mount the scaling
ladder, but when he reached the para
pet shot struck him in one knee and
he fell inside the rebel works, bleeding
captive The next day Fort Fisher fell
and the young MILDLY was recaptured.
He was subsequently placed on the re-
let lATtt r,lal
joint resolution was passed by both
houses of Congress restoring him to the
active list and exemDting him forever
from physical examination as to disa-
bility. He is the only officer in the Navy
who has been thus honored.
An inquiry was once addressed to Capt
Evans as to how he gained the sobriquet
Of Fighting Bob" His reply was mod
estly given.
81 do not like the subject" he said
Il never courted that kind of distinc-
| ton in the service. ] am simply a cap
| tain in the Navy. I am no more of a
| fighter and no more entitled to that
| title than any other officer. Every man
in the United States Navy will fight
when it IS his duty to do SO. Courage
is a universal quality among Americans.
Cowardice among Americans, either
afloat or ashore, is so rare that 1t is not
battleship with 800 men on board or the
colonel of a regiment of 1000 American
regulars goes into action, he does not
| make a discount of one-hundredth part
of l per cent for backing or skulking
on the part of his men.
"One of the best Illustrations of this
| characteristic of Americans was the be-
havior of the Yorktown's crew under
my command in Valparaiso Harbor. A
very bad and hostile feeling prevailed
against America at that time The
Yorktown became the asylum of certain
| political refugees. The government on
top demanded the surrender of these
| people. / refused to give them up. The
commanding officer at Valparaiso of the
| Chilean forces requested the admiral
commanding one of the E.urfpean
| squadrons on that station to say to me
| that unless these refugees were sur
rendered they would follow my ship to
sea with three cruisers, each larger
| than my own, and an ironclad nearly
| four times her size, and as soon as we
| got outside the marine league they
would heave me to and demand the sur
| render of the fugitives.
Il asked the admiral to excuse me
| for a moment, and went to see those
| who had placed themselves in my care.
| L said to them that | had promised
| them an asylum and TO convey them
| in safety to CalIao, Peru. and l meant
| TO live up to that promise. l then told
| them that the Chilean fleet might attack
me, and In that event l would doubtless