Rear Admiral Robley Dunlison Evans aka "Fighting Bob Evans"
Rear Admiral Robley Dunlison Evans was born at Floyd Court House, Virginia on 18 August 1846. He grew up from the age of ten in Washington DC.
By a convoluted manipulation of the law Evans was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Utah Territory at age 13. He was not a citizen of Utah but he traveled across the country to that state to spend a year living there to qualify to receive his appointment to the Naval Academy. Whilst undertaking this arduous trip he was shot in the leg with an arrow during an Indian attack.
He was ordered to active duty in September 1863 and was commissioned as an Acting Ensign in October of that year.
How did he get that nickname “Fighting Bob Evans”? This is a nickname which I personally think is fantastic and is so appropriate for the era.
The spirit, courage and determination that inspired his nickname was first shown in the attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina on January 1865. He was in command of a company of Marines which landed to charge the Confederate defences. Despite sustaining four bullet wounds he continued to fight.
It was also reported that following his wounding Naval Surgeons recommended amputating his legs at the knees. Evans drew his pistol and threatened to kill any man who attempted to do so.
He later prevailed upon Congress for reinstatement to the Navy after being invalidated out of the service.
For the next thirty years that followed the Civil War he made numerous and diverse contributions to the US Navy including the invention of the signal lamp, construction of a steel navy and highly successful commands at sea which combined skilled seamanship with practical diplomacy.
One of his greatest moments of acclaim was the command of the Gunboat Yorktown in Chilean waters in November to December 1891. US sailors from the USS Baltimore were killed by a mob in Valparasio in October and he received great acclaim for his firm and skillful handling of this tense situation. In the Berling Sea Sealing Dispute in 1892 again he showed both firmness and tact while in command of a flotilla patrolling an internationally sensitive area.
During the Spanish-American War in 1898 he commanded the battleship USS Iowa which began the attack on the Spanish Fleet in Santiago, Cuba.
Later in 1902 he was appointed Commander of the Asiatic Fleet and in 1907 -1907 Commander of the Atlantic Fleet. And of course later in 1907 he was chosen to command The Great White Fleet.
However whilst in command of this Fleet he fell ill at Magdalena Bay, California and upon reaching San Francisco he was forced by illness to relinquish his command.
He officially retired from the Service in August of 1908.
He later died in Washington DC on January 3 1912.
He was the author of “a Sailors Log: Recollections of Forty Years of Naval Life” in 1901 and “An Admirals Log: Continued Recollections of Naval Life” in 1910.
Two destroyers were named in his honour USS Evans (DD-78) and USS Evans (DD-552)
In my limited opinion this guy is really what heroes are made of.
The next instalment will cover the USS Connecticut
Regards
Sean
Great White Fleet #1-9
