hat gentleman kindly waved him back and told him to keep the weapon he
had used so well.

Captain Evans does not like the name "Fighting Bob", for he feels he has
no more claim to the distinction than the rest of his associates. Many
of the stories told of his roughness of speech and profanity are not
true, though it cannot be denied that he has a habit of expressing
himself very vigorously when his feelings are stirred. By his own
request, Captain Evans was relieved, September 15, 1898, of the command
of the _Iowa_, he having served more than his regular term of sea
service. At present he is a member of the Board of Inspection and
Survey.

John C. Watson was born in Frankfort, Ky., August 24, 1842, and is a
member of one of the leading families of the State. He entered the Naval
Academy at the age of fourteen and was graduated near the head of his
class in June, 1860. He was a midshipman on the _Susquehanna_ in Europe,
at the breaking out of the war, and was made master in August, 1861.

It is proof of the worth of the man that he was assigned as navigator of
the flagship _Hartford_, commanded by the lion-hearted Farragut. He
became lieutenant in June, 1862, and flag lieutenant to Farragut in
January, 1864.

The reader of these pages has learned something of the great battles of
New Orleans, Mobile Bay, Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Watson took part in
all of them and none acquitted himself better. In a letter to his son,
Admiral Farragut wrote: "I am almost as fond of Watson as I am of your
own dear self." In his report of the battle of Mobile Bay, where Watson
was wounded, Farragut wrote: "Lieutenant Watson has been brought to your
attention in former times. He was on the poop attending to the signals
and performed his duty, as might be expected, thoroughly. He is a scion
worthy of the noble stock he springs from, and I commend him to your
attention."

A squadron of invincible power was made up for Watson in the summer of
1898, with which it was intended Commodore Watson should pay a hostile
visit to the coast of Spain. But for the signing of the peace protocol,
that visit under its gallant and distinguished commander would have
proved one that the decrepit monarchy would remember to the end of time.

Captain John W. Philip, promoted to the rank of commodore for his superb
work with the _Texas_ off Santiago, is brave, modest, devout and fond of
practical joking. He is genial, exceedingly popular with his associate