Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1908-08-18
EVANS DOWN AND OUT.
Retirement of Fighting Bob" Closes
Career Filled important
Duties For His Country.
Special to the Herald.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 1S.-The
name of as gallant and efficient an
officer as ever wore the American
naval uniform was removed from the
active list today when Rear Admiral
Robley D. Evans, known the world
over as Fighting Bob" was retired
for age. Admiral Evans took the
great Atlantic battleship fleet around
Cape Horn last winter and his Off
cial career virtually ended with the
arrival of the fleet at San Francisco.
Since that time he has been ON leave
of absence and has been sojourning
at various health resorts in an effort
to conquer a bad attack of rheuma-
tism, an ailment from which he has
suffered for a number of years.
With the single exception of Admi-
raj Dewey, Fighting Bob Evans was
undoubtedly the best known and most
popular officer the American navy has
known since the heroes of the civil
war period passed from active life.
Admiral Evans in recent years has
been known as the reliable man of
the navy, for there was always assur-'
ance that he would discharge his duty
with courage and patriotism, and with
tact and diplomacy should his mission
become delicate one. Throughout
his career he was adored by his men,
and he knew also how to hold the
favor of Washington.
Admiral Evans began fighting in
the civil war, when he was still in his
teens, and completed his record of
actual hostilities by the great work he
did with the battleship Iowa at San
tiago. In the interval and since that
time, he rendered his country every
kind of service.
Evans went to the Annapolis acad-
envy in 1860, and year later came the,
outbreak of the civil war The mother
of Robley demanded that he resign
from the United States service end
| fight for the South. His brother haol
espoused the cause of the Confed-
eracy. But Robley decided in favor of
Washington and announced his deter
mination to stand for the Union. 1t
was a decision that cost him many
heart-burnings, for it was many years
before his mother forgave him.
His brother fought CALAMITY for the
South, and was twice wounded. He
did not share his mothers indignation
at the young naval officer, and the
two brothers never wavered in their
friendship, despite the divergence in
their political views.
Evans active service began in the
West Indies, where he commanded a
yacht sent to search for Confederate
privateers. He was first under fire
at Fort Fisher and was wouned in the
attack on that stronghold. 1t was at
first decided that both of his legs
would have to be amputated, which
would, Of course, have ended his naval
career But even then Evans had that
swiftness of action which later was to
bring him distinction. AS soon as the
doctors communicated to him their
decision to take off his legs, he drew
his revolver and announced that he
would blow off the head of the first
man who dared approach him. Adopt
ing new measures, the physicians
worked with him and managed to re-
store him to health with both legs in
tact.
In 1891 Evans increased his fame |
by his conduct in Valparaiso harbor. |
He was in charge of the little gun
boat Yorktown, during the trying Pc
Rod when the least slip might have |
precipitated war between the coun- |
tries, a conflict that would have en-
tailed serious consequences, since it |
was no secret that Great Britain at |
that time sympathized with the South |
Americans. III tne teeln Oh the pro-
tests of the Chilean government Com |
modore Evans took on his boat the |
refugees from the American legation,
and when the natives threatened re-
prisals he announced that at the first |
hint of attack he would lombard the |
city The world admired his spunk,
and Washington learned that in
Fighting Bob" it had a man who
could be trusted in any crisis.