The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-04
Commanding and Pictur-
esque Figure of the, Navy
! Died Suddenly =
WAS BINDING LINK Between
] The olD ANO The new NAV|Es
Left His Studies At Annapolis to Be-
come u Real Fighter in the Civil
War-Participated i'm Famous At
tack ON Fort Fisher.

Washington, Jan. 4.--Most Of OH
cial Washington did not learn until
today Of the sudden death last. even
ing OF Rear Admiral Robley d. Evans.
many expressions Of sorrow and SYM
pathy for the aged wife and family
of the brave old sailor were heard.
BY telegraph and by mail came con.
dolences, and many high officials both
in the army and the navy, besides
other prominent officials. called at the
family residence.
The funeral arrangements are well
advanced. There will be services
tomorrow afternoon at All Souls Uni
tartan church here, which President
Taft will attend. The pall-bearers
have not yet been selected but will
be chosen from the naval officers who
have served under Admiral Evans.
The funeral cortege will be composed
Of four companies of marines. two
or three companies of blue jackets
an entire battalion Of midshipmen
from the naval academy at Annapo-
lis.
The interment will be made at the
Arlington national cemetery in plat
which the deceased admiral selected
himself several years ago. ..
Admiral Evans who was born sixty
five years ago In Floyd county, Vir-
ginia. rose yesterday apparently In
better health and spirits than he had
enjoyed in some time. For years a
sufferer from old wounds sustained in
the civil war and from recurrent at
tacks Of rheumatis gout, the aged sea
fighter seemed to have shaken off the
burden of his advancing days. He
displayed high spirits at breakfast
and ate hearty luncheon at noon.
While in his library at Q o'clock the
admiral was stricken. Instantly his
family sent for DIR. S. s. Adams. who
on his arrival found the patient in
After treatment Admiral Evans fell
into Il restless sleep and 1t was
thought that the danger had passed.
Shortly after however, he awakened.
and raising himself with difficulty,
announced that he was choking.
Il cannot get my BREATH he said
and sank back. At 4:45 o'clock he
bedside at the time of his death were
his wife. his daughter Mrs. III. L. Sc
we'll and his daughter-in-law. Mrs.
Frank T. Evans, wife Of the Admiral's
only son. a lieutenant commander in
the navy now on duty on the torpedo
boat destroyer Monahan at Boston.
The only other member of his i'm
mediate family that was not present
was his daughter, Mrs. Marsh, wife
of Capt. Chas. c. Marsh, commanding
the armoured cruiser North Caro-
lima.
The news spread with great rapid
ity and caused a profound shock in
official circles. President Taft was one
of the first to express his grief and
condolence. Admiral Dewey, Secre-
tary Meyer and former Secretary Of
to pay tribute to Evans.
One Of Iron Links.
One of the iron links that bound
the old navy to the new. a command
ing figure in each was Robley d.
Evans. He did not take kindly to
the sobriquet of fighting Bob" for
although of a gruff exterior, he was
q man of the kindliest impulses. Thus
1t never was used in his presence by
his friends. But his courage and the
stoicism with which he bore his
wounds made the title SO appropriate
that as Fighting Bob" he was known
wherever the English language is
spoken.
Evans was a mere boy when he was
sent to the naval academy at Anna.
polls. Before he had got far with his
studies the civil war broke out and
he went to sea and was assigned to
blockade duty. It was on one of two
attacks made by the Northern navy
upon the ~owerful defenses at Fort
Fisher, North Carolina. that young
Evans received the woun through
the thigh that made him q cripple for
life. He suffered three other wounds,
but as soon as he was DISCHARGED
from the hospital he again plunged
into the fighting and served until the
end of the civil war with great
credit.
Story of Life.
Among the many brilliant and
dashing commanding officers of the
American navy in the last quarter Of
century there was none more brave
more reliable and more idolized than
Fighting Bob. Evans. as he was af-
fectionately called by his men. He
was born at Floyd Court House, Va.
August 18,1S46. the son of Samuel
Andrew Jackson and Sally Ann (Jack-
SOM Evans. His father was a native
of Virginia and a graduate of the Un.
iversity of Virginia Medical College.
He located In Floyn county where.
until his death in 1856, he Combined
the callings OF physician and farmer.
His mother was a daughter Of John
jackson, of Fairfax county, Va. and
a sister Of James Jackson who shot
Col. Ephriam p. Eellsworth OF the
famous Zouave regiment for tearing
the Confederate flag from the roof Of
his hotel. the Marshall House, at AL
exandria. Va. Their son was named
Robley Dunglison, after a celebrated
physician of Philadelphia. who was a
close friend of the family.
Nicknamed "Ffghting Bob.
Robley d. Evans was educated in
the schools OF his native. county and
later at the GonEaga classical school
at Washington, d: c. 1t was his am
bition to enter the naval service ana
he enlisted the support of VIM. II.
Hooper. congressional delegate from
Utah territory. who obtained for him.
on September 20. 1860. an appoint.
ment az cadet OF. the U. 8. Naval Ac.
ademy. On October =. 1853 young
Evans was promoted to the rank Of
ensign and ordered to the steam fri.
rats Powhatan of the West Virginia
eluadron. In 1S64-66 he served with
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