The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1907-12-21
Admiral Evans From Utah
Interesting Story of Fighting Bob's
Life in Utah and Elsewhere.

Fighting Bob Evans, Commander
in.Chief Of the Atlantic squadron now
enroute to the Pacific, holds great To-.
terest for the public and especially for
Utah just at this time. Although 1t
Is not generally known, Evans was q
resident Of Utah at one time and was
sent to the naval academy at Annapo.
lis as representative from Utah. A
brief character sketch OF Fighting
Bob" In which reference Is made 10
his life In Utah, is OF particular inter-
est. the article being In James Creel-
mans best style. He says:
Little Bob Evans was sturdy lad
with long, light curls, a blue velvet
suit and feather 10 his cap When 6
years old ne owned gun, a pony and
q negro boy. He learned to smoke and
chew tobacco. His nurse was an aztec.
tionate black nanny who lived for
l02 years.
Comes to Utah.
"When Bob was 10 years old his ia.
ther died and the boy went to live in
Washington with an uncle, a news.
paper man, who was clerk to con.
gressional committee. He entered
the Gonzaga college, where he learned,
among other things, a smattering OF
Greek and Latin. Much of his spare
time was spent about the rooms of the
capitol, where he attracted the atten.
tion Of many prominent men.
Zone day Mr.. Hooper, the delegate
10 congress from the territory Of Utah,
halted the little fair.haired Virginian
and asked him how ne would like to
be appointed to the naval academy at
Annapolis. Bob at once poured out
his heart and declared 1t was his dear.
est wish. Mr.. Hooper said that II
young Evans would 20 TO Utah and
become a resident the appointment
would be made. That was 10 1859
Bob was only ID years old, but lie
eagerly set out for the Mormon capital.
He travelled alone to St Joseph. Mo.
There he was met by friends, who
arranged that he should cross the
plains with a party Of five bound for
California.
Mounted on large gray mule, the
future senior rear admiral OF the
American navy went out into the
great wilderness. He helped TO hunt
buffaloes and was In several Indian
fights.
"Once the party was ambushed by a
band Of Blackfeet, but after sharp
fight, In which Bob did his share, they
managed to escape. There were three
ugly arrows sticking In Bob's gray
mule and another shaft had gone
through his ankle, pinning it to the
mule. That unhappy animal danced
In agony until he was lassooed and
Bob was released by having the arrow
cut between his ankle and the mules
hide.
Journey full of Wonders.
THAT was a wonderful journey for
Bob, full OF life and color, the vast
loneliness Of the plains Offering a
strange contrast to the shut.in majesty
Of the Virginia mountains. Again and
again the party was attacked by saw.
ages, and Bob learned how to watch
and how to fight.
ut seems hard to believe 1t now,
but on that memorable trip across the
prairles, Washable, chief of band
OF Snake Indians, saw Bob and wanted
to adopt him as son. Washakie's
son rolled Bob In blanket, threw him
on pony and attempted to make Off
with him. But ne managed to escape.
The Indian chief afterward explained
that he meant no harm, and Bob was
allowed to 90 up Green river with the
Indians for ten days.
I Washable dressed the boy In buck
skins, taught him to shoot the arrow
and throw the lasso, and forced him
to wrestle with young Indians.
1.-THE small Virginian whitfield a
willow whistle, and when the Indians
heard him blow 1t, they kept him busy
for several days cutting copies, and he
was entertained by the spectacle of
grown men and women walking about
solemnly, footing on willow whistles
"The chief then offered to adopt the
admiral-to-be and even promised In
time to give one Of his daughters for
his wife. But Bob shook his head and
refused to be beguiled. Otherwise he
might now be eating government ra-
lions on an Indian reservation instead
Of commanding the North Atlantic
squadron.
"While he was In Salt Lake acquir-
ing a residence he saw much OF the
early Mormons, and had talk with
Brigham Young He had good
chance, too, to study the primordial
American, for the noble red man used
to come into the city, get drunk and
shoot arrows at people. A tipsy Dig
ger Indian sent an arrow at Bob, who