The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-18
Birthday Of Rear Admiral EDans
By Fredric J. Haskin.


permitted to resign AlthouRh his brother was in the Southern army he decided to stay in the Federal service. He was a youth of intense convictions. ana even at that early age he believed in the Union. After he had decided to stay In the service his resignation was accepted without his having rendered H. investigation revealed that his mother had written out the resignation and Forwarded it to the War Depart ment. After being out of the service twenty-four hours he re-enlisted and served throughout the war.
 He proved his mettle first at Fort Eisher He was wounded four, times In that engagement, and lay for hours in water-filled hole before he was fin- ally carried aboard ship. He was taken to Norfolk, and there the hos pital authorities decided to amputate both of his legs. He had his revolver with him and declared he would shoot the man who attempted to take off his legs. They then let him alone and the attention he got was very little. After lowering between life and death for weeks he recovered enough to be taken to Philadelphia on a stretcher. Of most men such wounds would have made a cripple for life. But Evans was game. He exercised his legs in spite of excruciating pain, and In 1887 was ready for duty again. Before tilis when the question of promotion came up, the Medical Board promptly retired him, but Congress restored him to the active list
 After several years of active sea service he was made equipment officer of the Washington navy yard. While there he was the first officer to re- commend steel armor for battleships, and his views finally obtained. Then he was made lighthouse inspector for the Fifth District. Because he hauled a good many political appointees over the coals he was disliked, and he asked leave from the service, which was granted. During this leave he was in- spector of material for the Havre de Grace bridge. and studied steel making in all its branches. When Whitney was made Secretary of the Navy, Evans was returned to his old po- sition as Lighthouse inspector. He originated the Idea of lighting New York harbor by night, and the electric buoys there today are the result of his suggestion. He was the steel inspec- tor when the first armorplate was made for the Government, and drew the specifications which have given us the best armor made. When Secretary Whitney wanted "Cramp" to preside over the Brooklyn shipyard while the Malne was building, Evans was select ed. Then came another period of sea duty, and the Chilian incident and after 1t the trouble with the Alaskan sealers, then his entertainment of the Emperor William at the opening of the Kiel Canal. After this came the Spanish War, where the Iowa, com manded by Evans, first signalled the sortie of the Spanish fleet, and fired the first gun in the action that result ed in it's destruction. After the war was over came a well earned promo tion to rear admiral, and the eight years as a flag officer which he recent ly brought to a close at San Francisco amid the plaudits of admiring nations. And today. modestly wearing his we'll earned laurels. serenely hearing the well done" of the people. he goes quietly into private life-this twen- tieth century Viking,
 "-who has lived more stories
 Than Zogbaum or l could invent" ICopyright 1908. by Frederic J. Has kin)
 Tomorrow-The Case of Venezuela I. Castro and His Quarrels.