East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-12-13


are ready, the men are ready 1 am
ready" This characteristic state
ment of Fighting Bob" Evans pres
ages the certain sailing on Monday
of the Atlantic fleet for the Pacific.
President Roosevelt will go to Hamp-
ton Roads on the government yacht
Mayflower and will be on hand early
Monday morning to review the great
parade. 1t is expected that the ves-
sells will steam out of Hampton Roads
about 10 o'clock. From that time
forward the pubic will have no
knowledge of what takes place on
the ships of the fleet, other than
such information as the commander
considers II advisable to give out, as
no newspaper men will be allowed on
the cruise,
The "peace cruise" to the Pacific
will be the crowning point of the ca
reer of Admiral Robley d. Evans.
He will be retired August IS of next
year, so that he will step down and
out of the service before the fleet
has returned from its cruise. Ad-
miral Evans is Virginian by birth,
having first seen the light of day in
the Old Dominion on August IS,
1916. He was promoted to rear ad-
miral February II, 1901, being now
first on the list of real admirals. He
has been in command of the fleet
since March 81, 1905, and in con-
tinuous sea service since May 1904,
having had but little shore duty since
the Spanish-American war.
Evans earned his title of Fighting
Bob" as a boy by whipping all the
/ bullles IN the school he attended. He
was appointed to the naval academy
from Utah, September 20. 1860 and
was promoted to ensign October /,
/ 1868, on the sloop Powhatan. He was
/ I'm both attacks on Fort Fisher, jan
uary Is, 1865, and in the land attack
on that fort received two severe rifle
shot wounds which left him lame for
life. He served on various ships, at
navy yards and on boards until 1898,
when he was commissioned captain
and took command of the cruiser
New York. with which he quieted
hostile Chile when It was in a bel
ligerent mood and considering maxi
ing war on the United States.
1t as while he was in Chilean wa
ters that he perpetrated one of those
forceful and profane remarks for
which he IS famous The Chilean
torpedo boats, by way of practice,
\ cruised about Evans cruiser. evil
IDENTIFY intent upon seeing how close
they could go without actually touch
ing. The maneuvers were wearing
on the sensitive nerves of Captain
Evans, who sent word to the Chilean
officer TO keep his d--m torpedo
boats at a distance. The naughty
Spanish admiral replied
that the water of Valparaiso harbor
belonged to Chile and that he would
use them as he saw fit.
every Well" the rate Evans fired
back. But would have you know
sir. that this cruiser belongs to the
government of the United States, and
if the paint on it is scratched, he'll
will smell of garlic"
That ended the maneuvers OF the
Chilean torpedo boats, the admiral
decided that 1t might be as well not
to risk scratching the paint on the
cruiser of the angry american pig,
who couldn't appreciate a bit OF
harmless fun.
II he had had his way. the Span
iards would have been driven from
Cuba long before that act was final
ly accomplished. During the admin
istratiOn of President Cleveland, he
applied to the secretary Of the navy
for permission to make Cuba free
Just turn me loose for little while
with battleship or two and a few
cruisers" begged Evans, "and l will
guarantee that Spanish will be the
only language spoken in hell for the
next six months" This offer was
refused. but later, when the Span
ish-American war broke out, he was
afforded opportunity for aiding in
the ousting of the Spaniards. He
commanded the Iowa during the war
971 was under fire five different
times.
While there are few more strict
disciplharians than Fighting Bob"
few officers are able to inspire great
er love and respect In the hearts of
the men under them. The fighting
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