where not decimated, easily driven in. It was not so his master, Wellington, taught Lord Raglan how to cope with an enemy. This has been the last of his lordship's faults in the Crimea. He has been denounced for many others, but not for those just noted. In fact, Lord Raglan has been abused for matters he has had no more to do with than has had the writer of this biographical sketch; while for great errors, as a general, the censors have wholly acquitted him, or, at least, have never arraigned him.

It was not Lord Raglan's arrangement which gave him bad weather, to the prevention of supplies being in abundance for his army. It is not to be put to his account that he had not vehicles for meeting the impediments of bad winter roads. The fault lies nearer home than in the Crimea. It must not be said that he took a leap in the dark in going to the Crimea, for the expedition was hailed in England as the very masterstroke in the war! Nor must his reputation be trifled away by the silly cry of his not visiting the men in camp. Incapability at home should not be laid upon his lordship's shoulders. The world has to judge the General Commanding-in-Chief in the East as a general, and not as a sutler, or monthly nurse. Lord Raglan is a brave old soldier. He was late at the Alma, for the great purposes embraced in the common plan of battle. He gave a rash order at Balaklava. He neglected to intrench the right of his position before Sebastopol. In every instance of his error we have gathered glory in no one booty! Notwithstanding the recent past, his lordship has enough of his old master's training at his call to retrieve himself; and should he not be superseded in the command, he will at no very distant period give proofs of great generalship, in rendering a full account of the enemy. Lord Raglan is not to fall a victim to a mere outcry! His errors in generalship can hardly be repeated.

GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANS, K.C.B.

THE gallant Member for Westminster, General Sir De Lacy Evans, veteran in war and politics, is one of those men who, in despite of unfriendly influences, surmount the barriers placed in their path to distinction. In the army, beyond all other professions, merit, unaided by aristocratic patronage, counts for nothing; it is but simple duty," the discharge of which is requited by so much per day, and obscurity. In wrestling with such a system, none but giants dare enter the lists; the weak would find themselves squelched into nothingness.

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Sir De Lacy Evans, in a bold stand-up fight, has conquered the old "galled jade," Aristocracy, in her own "cold shade," and drawn, it is to be hoped, her fangs for mischief. His triumph is the reward of long and patient endurance of neglect and detraction. In his success is embodied the expressed will of the public in favour of the recognition of worth against that of mere birth; and the fault will not be his if the pernicious "family" system be not immediately strangled beyond hope of redemption.

Sir De Lacy Evans is the son of a plain gentleman, John Evans, Esq., of Miltown, in Ireland, and was born in the year 1787, at Moig (Ireland). He is now in his 68th year. Without influence or patronage, he entered the army in 1803, as a volunteer. He proceeded to India, where, having distinguished himself by intrepidity of no common order, he was created ensign on the 1st of February, 1807, in the 22nd Foot. He fought bravely in the expeditions to the Mauritius, and for his gallantry was, on the 1st of December, 1808, further promoted to a lieutenancy in the same regiment. In the operations which led to the surrender of the Isle of Bourbon, and capture of the Mauritius, Evans had earned so high a charaeter for judgment, and other essentials for command, as to lead his comrades to prophesy great things in store for him. His great ambition was for active employment where war raged most violently; and yet, ardent as was his temperament, and dashing as was his execution, his coolness in the moment of danger, when rashness would ensure destruction, never once forsook him. He was appointed to General Malcolm's mission for Persia, but he relinquished that which promised comparative ease and certain advancement, for the more perilous operations in the Deccan. As a lieutenant, he served in India up to 1810, during which he augmented his character for bravery, in the operations more particularly against Ameer Khan, and the Pindarries. On returning from India he proceeded to Spain, in 1812, where he fought under Wellington. During part of the retreat from Burgos, he rendered great service to our army. At this period, he was in a cavalry regiment, having on the 26th of March, 1812, been appointed to the 3rd Light Dragoons. In the retreat, the enemy were harassing our troops; and to check it, Evans was instructed to lead his cavalry as frequently as circumstances might require his interference. He too willingly obeyed the order; and the series of brilliant charges led by him effectually told upon the French, and materially contributed to the safety of the retreat. In the action on the Hermoza, he received a severe wound; but he continued in the saddle; for though only a lieutenant, his services were those of a general officer, in importance, and his absence from the field could be but ill afforded. In fact, this wound healed while the wounded lieutenant was in the field courting new dangers. In the memorable battle of Vittoria, he led several charges of cavalry, in each doing terrible execution on the enemy. In one charge, the gallant subaltern took a large number of prisoners, a piece of artillery, and captured a considerable sum of money intended for the payment of the French army. For his exploits in this great battle, he received the thanks of his commanding officer, Lord C. Manners—but no promotion. At the investment of Pampeluna, his activity and spirit of enterprise were remarkable. At the battle of Soraoren, where Soult, in his march to the relief of the beleaguered fortress, was signally defeated, Evans attracted the attention of Wellington, by his judgment and daring. No advancement, however, followed for the lieutenant this great victory, to which he had so much contributed by the brilliant manner in which he led his dragoons upon the French marshal's battalions. During

the investment of Bayonne, his horse was shot under him. At the siege of San Sebastian he volunteered as engineer in the trenches, upon the issuing of Wellington's general order, on the 11th of July, inviting volunteers; and he subsequently led the assault. He was in all the battles of the Pyrenees, fought during the retreat of the French from Spain. At the battle of Nevelles, Orthes, and Tarbes, he further distinguished himself; and at the battle of Toulouse had two horses killed under him, and was twice wounded. No promotion followed for the lieutenant these highly important victories.

Upon the return of the English army, Evans, though still a lieutenant, was appointed to serve in the expedition against America, under General Ross, which departed in June, 1814. The army were to strike a blow against the capital of the Republic, and in full march for Washington, the battle of Bladensburg was fought on the 24th of August. This action ended in the total rout of the American forces. In this encounter he had two horses killed under him. To this humble lieutenant the victory was mainly owing, for being acting as quarter-master-general, the disposition of the troops on the field was such as to secure him the thanks of the general in command. In the battle the enemy lost prisoners and cannon. The evening of the day of this success found Evans before the city of Washington. His business was to reconnoitre, preparatory to an investment. A flag of truce bearing conditions to the enemy was sent in, but it was fired on. Had they known that those conditions amounted to the demand of a large sum of money, no doubt the flag would have been received and the bearers hanged. The fact of the flag having been fired on, however, exasperated our general, and Evans thereupon having proposed to lead a storming party during the night, his proposition was acceded to. When darkness had well set in, he led his party to the attack. The Americans, not expecting so sudden a salutation, after some considerable defence, were forced to retire, and Evans was eminently successful. The city was at the mercy of his party; the President of the Government sought safety in instant flight, and the capture of numerous merchantmen and vessels of war, 200 pieces of heavy cannon, 20,000 stand of arms, the destruction of the arsenal, dockyard, public buildings, and stores, was the result of this subaltern's enterprise. His judgment, gallantry, and success were thus done justice to, by General Ross, in his despatch:-"I must beg leave to call your lordship's attention to the zeal and indefatigable exertions of Lieutenant Evans, acting deputy-quarter-master-general. The intelligence displayed by that officer in circumstances of considerable difficulty induces me to hope he will meet with some distinguished mark of approbation." Their lordships however were slow in their appreciation of the immense advantage Evans had achieved, not only for the honour of the British army, but for the chances of a speedy ensuing peace. In the following month, September 12th, on the advance of our arms upon Baltimore, another battle was fought. The Americans, some 6000 strong, with good cavalry and artillery, while we did not muster more than 4200 men, were defeated with a loss of 500 killed and wounded, several hundred

prisoners, and six cannons. In the action General Ross was killed, and his successor in the command, Colonel Brooke, thus in his despatch eulogizes Lieutenant Evans:-"To Lieutenant Evans, 3rd Dragoons, acting deputy-quarter-master-general to this army, for the unremitting zeal, activity, and perfect intelligence which he evinced in discharge of the various and difficult duties of his department, I feel warmly indebted, and I beg to solicit, through your lordships, a promotion suitable to the high professional merits of this officer." Colonel Brooke knew too well the value of Lieutenant Evans-it was talked of in the field and commented upon, and all agreeing that at least he would by next advices be promoted two steps. He was not the scion of a noble house, and expectation was disappointed. The next services of Lieutenant Evans were on Lake Borgne, where the army arrived on the 10th December, 1814. Here he volunteered on a boarding expedition by boats' crews, of a thousand men, against a squadron of strongly-armed American sloops of war, posted for defence of the lake. After a sharp engagement, the vessels were captured. Evans was the only soldier present, and for his services he was rewarded with a naval medal. In the advance upon New Orleans and the retreat, as quartermaster-general, the whole burden of the operations were borne by Lieutenant Evans, and his judicious discharge of his onerous duties gave unqualified satisfaction to General Keene, the chief in command, who wrote:-"The indefatigable zeal and intelligence displayed by Lieutenant Evans, of the quarter-master-general's department, entitle him to the most favourable consideration." In an action which took place on the 25th of December, he was severely wounded, but he continued to keep the field, and on the 8th of the following month he received another and more severe wound. This action was disastrous to us, and at the end of the month our army re-embarked. After the attack on Mobile, which resulted in its capture, Lieutenant Evans-still a lieutenant-arrived in England in April, 1814. Notwithstanding the manner in which he had been mentioned by his generals, his promotion did not follow until nine months after his return, so promptly were a brave and skilful officer's services recognised in those days of "a clear stage and no favour." His promotion was to a captaincy in the 5th West India regiment. Promotion now followed somewhat rapidly-little thanks to the government. The eagle at Elba had taken "French-leave," and was on the wing. A man of Evans's reputation could not be spared on the shelf, and on the 11th of May, 1815, he became Major by Brevet, and was attached to the general staff of Wellington's army, besides being made senior of the staff of the 3rd division. He assisted, under the quarter-master-general, in concentrating the army on the position at Quatre Bras. On the 18th of June, at Waterloo, Evans led, with his immediate commander, Sir William Ponsonby, the charge made by that general's brigade, which put sixteen battalions, amounting to at least 10,000 men, to flight, an immense number of whom fell under the sabres of that glorious cavalry. This brilliant charge cost Sir William his life, but it resulted in his brigade taking 2,000 prisoners, rendering

thirty pieces of the enemy's artillery unserviceable, and the capture of two eagles-the only standards taken in that battle of giants. On the following morning Major Evans was commissioned to deliver the two trophies at head quarters. In the official statement of this cavalry achievement, General Sir A. Clifton observes to the Duke of Wellington:-"I cannot close my report without expressing to you my sense of the gallant and admirable conduct of Major Evans.' He was also recommended to the Duke by Sir D. Pack, for promotion for his services in that bloody engagement throughout the day, but more particularly for the manner in which he had distinguished himself at the latter part of the encounter, when the whole fate of Europe was pending on the hazard of the change from partial defence into stubborn attack, and Grouchy momentarily expected to arrive and emasculate Blucher, who was then slowly coming up. Throughout that day Evans performed prodigies of valour. A hardknit sinewy man, he had not left his saddle for three days except to change from a dead steed to a fresh charger, and he was as vigorous at the close of the battle as though he had discharged but the duties of a few hours. On that 18th of June he acted as aidede-camp to the Duke of Wellington, and to every general of division by turns, led charges, and fought single-handed against odds, and yet he received not a scratch, although he had one horse shot under him, and another sabred by a blow aimed at the rider. He went on with the army to Paris, where he remained until 1819, by which period the French sovereign was securely reinstated. For Waterloo he was made Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, the advancement, as a matter of course, bearing date 18th of June, 1815; but was placed on half pay of the regiment on the 25th of April, 1817a fine reward for all he had done for England, while nice young gentlemen were daily becoming major-generals! To the shame of the system fostered by the Whig and Tory cut-purses, this great soldier was allowed to remain a lieutenant-colonel on half pay until the 10th of January, 1837, when he was made colonel-exactly twenty years after the battle of Waterloo! True that in 1835 he was appointed to the command of the British Auxiliary Legion; but that was sending him to what was considered a forlorn hope with a handful of raw recruits, and amongst them some scamps of the first water. He however made soldiers of them. His next promotions were major-general on the 9th of November, 1846, unattached, and colonel-in-chief of the 21st Royal North British Fusiliers on the 29th of August, 1853.

No man has been more reviled in connexion with any transaction than Sir De Lacy Evans with regard to his mission in Spain, in support of Her Catholic Majesty. No sooner had he departed than the Tory papers, augmenting their ire against the expedition, pommelled him most unmercifully, while the organs of the party he had gone to serve attempted to defend, but in reality damned him by faint praise. Even upon his talked-of appointment to a division of the army of the East, the Spanish matter was harped upon to a degree, in support of an opposition to the command conferred or about to be given him, when the staff was but part filled. The obloquy

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