The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-08-18
Age Ends the Brilliant Ca
reer of Famous Rear
Admiral.
COMMANDED FLEET
ON ITS FIRST lap
Distinguished Himself in Civi6
War, After Having Planned to
Run Away to Sea.

Rear Admiral Robley Dunglison E.vas4s.
known 70 every school boy as 'fFight-
ing Bob" and looked upon by his coun-s
tryfllen as one Of the greatest sea cap
tains Of his time, closed his active ca
reer IN the navy today, the anniversary
OF his sixty-second birthdav.
bob" Evans has been the hero OF
many stories Every patriotic heart
quiekens at the memory Of his exploits.
and the very meltio of his name
causes stir OF enthusiasm The most
picturesque officer in the American
navy, he has held the respect Of thes
entire nation, the admiration Of his
fellow-oficers and the devotion OF his
enlisted men
After nearly fifty years of the sea.
years OF able service, he retires to a.
weil-earned rest, not because he vas
even daunted by the pain Of rheumatism.
OF the twitching reminders Of his old
wounds, but because his thread is spun-
and he must give up active duty under
the law providing retirement at the aga
Of sizty-two.
Life a Romance.
His life has reen a long romance. He
eTbodies ali the traditions OF the sea
and no man ever served his country with
greater bravery. Everything that he
haE done has been well done, and ulth
the unruistalable impress OF his person
aiity. whether il be entertaining the
German Kaiser. UDbUuding the navy.
OF fighting desperately il a watery pi-
in front Of Fort Fisher. il was Just tie
same.
There viii be no fgss today. Admiral
Evans birthday, and there VIII be TO
formalities attendant upon his retire.
ment. but the hearts OF S0.0000oo hero
loving Americans viii go out TO bin.
His fifty years service has been bril-
liant. and viii ever be "A shining mark
in American naval history IL vas A5-
mif8l EVauSIwho prepared tne graas
h1ttfesh3p leeI Tor the greatest world
cruise ever undertaken And 1t was hs
who piloted this great feet through the
dangerous .naTr0ws and the swirling cur
rents of the Magellan Straits
For eight years. his service as
flag officer has been familiar but this
last task Of his active career was th9
fleet left Hampton Roads on time and
without delay, Without trouble OF any
kind il put safely in port on the other
side, every ship in condition. and On
time,
His Last Command.
Then came the parting The admiral
for the first and last time gave I'D q
command.
Today the admiral is in Barnestable,
Mass. living quietly with Mrs. Evans.
In the fall. when the summer heat lifts
from Washington. he will return again
TO his home in this city to live out his
days in peace.
Admiral Evans is a Virginian, and was
born IN Floyd county, august is. 1916.
His father was a country doctor. In
his autobiography, the admiral says that
his first recollection Of himself is when
he was about four years old, sturdy IN
health and with long. light colored curls.
He wore a velvet suit. with a feather
in his cap. and his first possessions were
a gun. a pony. and a negro boy Like
all Virginia children of quality. he had
a black Nanny TO c.ire for him. He
lived the usual caref'ee life Of the
average American boy ln the South. He
hunted, rode, and accompanied his
fathers teanlsters TO market.
His father died when he was ten years
old, and left him the head of the house
and on his own resources. Soon his
mother moved 70 Fairfax county. that
he might have better educational ad-
Yantagess and a year later, ia 1s57s he
public schools, but his care1~ was ter
minated when he let fv a stone at a
big boys who had wrecked the boat
he was sailing on a pond.
Planned Runaway.
He spent much time on the river
front and was prepared to run away
and 90 TO sea. when a Mr. Hooper, a
Delegate from the Territory Of Kansas
offered 10 give him an appointment
to Annapolis, if he would 90 TO Utah
and establish legal residence.
On his way across the plains, the ernf-
grant train he was with was attacked
by Indians, and he was warned 10 lie
Gown in one LOf the wagons to keep
rom being hurt When the fight WIS
over he was found pinned TO the back
Of s mule by an arrow throU5a his
leg That was how he obsyed the in
siTuCtton TO keep out Of the hght
He entered the Naval Academy in 1861
becoming a student on "Old IFOnsides.T
Then IL was that he had to decide be-
tween the North and the South and
he fought for the Onion. He was
wounded four times in the stormiDsg
or Fort Fisher, distinguishing himself
in the fight. After the engagement he
was fished from a Water-fiIied hole
more dead than alive. It was decided
of his gun he made the surgeons de-
sist
IT was thus that the admiral began
his career HIS service in the navy IS
known TO every American and when
the President writes his congratuiatorv
message today, IL viii embody the sem
timent OF every American citizen.
HEIRS PLAN TO SUE