Robley Dunglison Evans, better known as Fighting Bob Evans, was born
at Floyd Courthouse, Virginia, August 18, 1847. His father was a
physician and a farmer, his mother being the daughter of John Jackson,
of Fairfax county, and sister of James Jackson, who shot Colonel
Ellsworth for capturing a Confederate flag on the roof of his hotel.
Robley was educated at a country school and Gonzaga classical school,
Washington, D. C. On September 20, 1860, he was appointed to the United
States naval academy by Congressman William R. Hooper, from the Utah
Territory. He was made a midshipman in 1860, and promoted to ensign in
1863. In 1864 and 1865 he served with his ship in the North Atlantic
blockade squadron. He saw considerable service in the West Indies,
and, in the attack on Fort Fisher, in 1865, received rifle shot wounds
which disabled him for a time. In 1866 he was commissioned lieutenant;
in 1868 was made lieutenant commander, and was later assigned to duty
at the navy yard, Washington, and still later at the naval academy,
Annapolis. From 1877 to 1881 he was in command of the training ship
Saratoga, and later was promoted to commander. In 1891-’92 he was
in command of the United States naval force at the Behring Sea to
suppress sealing. In 1893 he was promoted to captain. During the
Spanish-American war Captain Evans was in command of the battleship
Iowa, which achieved distinction during the battle of Santiago, when
the fleet of Admiral Cervera made an attempt to run the blockade. He
served all through the Spanish-American war, and, in 1898, by his own
request, he was detached from the command of the Iowa and was assigned
to duty as a member of the board of inspection and survey. He was
married in 1860 to Charlotte, daughter of Frank Taylor, of Washington,
District of Columbia.