The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-25

ON EVANS STAFF,
c. E. Ely, Student at Washburn,
With Admiral.
Interesting "reminiscences of
Great Naval Officer.
LOOKED AFTER MEN.
MarVeled at His Attention to
Details Of Fleet.
Enlisted Men Had No Difficulty
in Securing Audience.

H..
probably the only man in Topeka who
is well acquainted with Admiral Evans.
Mr.. Ely served as quartermaster on the
| admiraPs staff and is an enthusiastic
admirer of the great naval officer. He
has given the State journal his impress
sions and experiences as follows:
| In the conclusion of Admiral Robley
D. Evans autobiography is a letter
printed in full from the men of the
! manded at the battle of Santiago. 1t
reads in part, And with this sword we
send our wishes for your health and
| happiness always. It is an assurance
| from us that you are more than a hero
| to a nation-you are a hero to your
| men" Commenting on this gift, the
admiral says, I value it above all my
| earthly possessions" And there is no
reason to doubt but what he spoke
from his great generous heart. You
might say that it is no small matter to
be a hero to nation; that would be
| true. But to be a hero to his men
| means infinitely more. 1t expects and
| exacts other qualities than those de-
manded by the great outside world. In
| Robley D. Evans these greater exac-
! tions have been fully met and satisfied.
| The people know Evans as a fighter
| Fighting Bob" they call him, the hero
| of the storming of Fort Fisher. The
government knows him as the efficient
| officer and accomplished diplomat,
who has not only placed himself
among the great navigators of the
world by his peerless feats of seaman
ship but who, years ago, won an hon
ored place in diplomacy by the tactful
handling of the delicate Chilean situa-
ton that came so near involving the
country in war. His men? His men
know him to be at once their COM
mander and their comrade. He was
both without sacrificing one iota of that
dignity which seems so much a part of
himself rather than a cloak to be put
on ia N ~
When He Took Command.
Four years ago, or therea bouts, Ad-
miral Evans took command of what
was then known as the North Atlantic
fleet. I was a youngster then-a sig
nal boy and it was not long before l
was serving on his staff in that capa-
city, for he had chosen the Maine for
his flag ship, the vessel to which
was then attached. A change OF ad-
ministration may mean much to US on
land, but to a ship or fleet the
change from one commander to an
other means much more than that. 1t
might be compared, more or less apt
ly, to a change of dynasty in an alb
solute government. But even this
falls somewhat short, for the change
is still more marked and thorough go
ing. You may dress differently, eat
different food, you may or may not
have more liberty, the iron bound
rules of discipline may receive an en-
tirely different construction under
ldhIHS lH6Se
facts into consideration. it may be
readily imagined that the coming of
the new commander was no small
event to the men of the fleet. We We're
awaiting-we knew not what-a ty-
rant perhaps or a martinez.
The day of his arrival we were ly-
ing alongside the dock in the New
York navy yard. Since morning the
expectant suspense. Waspe, the quar-
termaster, had served on Admiral
Evans staff on the China Station, so
we took sage counsel with him, hang |
ing on his every word, while he discus |
sed this or that characteristic of the
new commander
There he comes" cried Waspe in a
suppressed voice, and instantly every
glass was turned down the dock. So
absorbed did we become that we for
got to report the fact of his coming
to the officer of the deck.
The quartermaster however no.
ticed the omission and reported just in
time for the captain and the executive
officer to greet the new commander
in-chief at the gangway.
What I saw was an averaged sized
man in brown suit and derby. A
| face of almost the same color was lit
up by pair of deep set, and uncom-
monty bright eyes, that seemed to in
clude everything without conscious eff
fort of doing so. He limped slightly.
but bore himself with that conscious
air of dignity that marked him at
once as a leader of men. We had seen
our new commander and he looked
like nothing so much as a-man.
| Spirit of Fair NIindedness.
One of Admiral Evans most dis
Itinguishing characteristics is his spirit
of fair-mindedness. This fact became
more and more apparent to us as we
observed his relation to his officers and
men. In order to speak to the COM
lmander-in- chief a man must get per-
mission of his division officer to ask
permission of the executive officer to
see the captain, who after learning his
business and deeming it important
enough, may send him to the admiral.
But, let me add, not to Admiral Evans.
II have yet to see the time when an
enlisted man could not get the adj
mirars ear without further formality
than simply addressing him, in a re-
spectful way, whenever he happened to
be on deck.
His love of simple justice and fair
play is well illustrated in an incident |
that occurred while we were steanling |
yard. The Kentucky kept her position
so poorly that the admiral felt con- |
strained to call her watch officer to |
task for his steeming negligence That
officer attempted to excuse himself by |
LAYING the blame on the helmSman- |
This made the admiral so angry that |
he leaned over the rail and shook his |
cIenched fist at the erring ship. Sig |
nal the Kentucky's officer of the |
watch" said he, that I cannot hold a |
man responsible. but that 1 will and |
do hold you responsible for the Ken
tucky's erratic movements. That fin |
ished Mr.. Watchofhcer.
1t seemed that the admiral took a |
personal interest in all of Us. In our
work and in our play. He would bet
on our boat races and when we claim
ed a victory he was first to commend |
the last to condemn if we lost 1t was
he