A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Evans, John (a)
EVANS. (Lieutenant, 1811. f-p., 9; h-p., 35.)
John Evans (a), born 2 Dec. 1786 or 7, is son of John Evans, Esq., of Dilwyn, co. Hereford, and of the Rock and Vermont, in Jamaica, by a daughter of John Tyler, Esq., of Dilwyn House, who was grand-niece of Bishop John Tyler, and a relative of Dr. Southey, the Poet-Laureate.
This officer entered the Navy, early in 1803, as a Volunteer, on board the Leviathan 74, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, bearing the flag of Sir John Thos. Duckworth at Jamaica, where, in the course of the same year, he successively joined the Trent 36, Capt. Jas. Katon, and Désirée 36, Capts. Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross and Henry Whitby. While in the latter ship he was present at the blockade of Cape François, the reduction of Port Dauphin, where two forts and a 28-gun frigate, La Sagesse, were taken from the enemy, and the surrender of the French squadron with the remains of General Rochambeau’s army from Cape Francois on board; and he was also frequently employed with the boats on cutting-out affairs of a very hazardous description. In June, 1805, Mr. Evans accompanied Capt. Whitby into the Centaur 74, and after an intermediate attachment to various other vessels, was taken prisoner, while a passenger, in 1807, on board the armed-brig Charles, by a French privateer. La Vengeance of overwhelming force, to whom, however, the former vessel did not surrender until, in the course of a spirited action of four hours and a half, fought within hail, she had expended every shot, cartridge, and wad. On being soon afterwards exchanged, Mr. Evans became attached, for short periods, to the Drake and Wolf sloops, Capts. John Fleming and Wm. Sumner Hall, and then joined the Bacchante 20, Capt. Sam. Hood Inglefield, with whom he continued to serve, latterly as Acting-Lieutenant of the Daedalus 32, until Sept. 1810. In the Wolf and Bacchante, besides participating in several desperate actions with Spanish flotillas, he assisted in taking, after a contest of half an hour, Le Griffon French national brig, of 16 guns and 105 men; and, in the Daedalus, he contributed to the reduction, towards the close of 1808, of the town of Samana, in St. Domingo. In 1810-11 Mr. Evans was employed, on the North American station, in the Belvidera 38, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Herbert Sawyer, and Atalante and Morgiana sloops, Capts. Fred. Hickey and David Scott. He was confirmed while in the latter vessel, by commission dated 16 Nov. 1811; but, in the following Feb., was compelled to invalid in consequence of a severe liver complaint, from the effects of which he still suffers. He has not since been employed.
Lieut. Evans, during his servitude afloat, was frequently invested with the duties of Prize Master; and he appears, in almost every ship, to have been exposed to a succession of the most furious hurricanes, which frequently carried away every mast, and threatened, in fact, destruction to all on board. He is married, and has one daughter living. His son, John, a naval cadet, who had recently returned from a voyage round the world, died in Feb. 1843.