NATHAN GEORGE EVANS

Background

Nathan George Evans was born at Marion, South Carolina, the third son of Thomas and Jane Beverly (Daniel) Evans.

Education

He was educated at Randolph-Macon College, and the United States Military Academy, graduating from the latter in 1848.

Career

He served in the West with the 16t and 2nd Dragoons until 1855, when he was appointed first lieutenant in the newly organized 2nd (now 5th) Cavalry. He was promoted captain in 1856. He participated in numerous skirmishes with hostile Indians, in one of which, near Washita village, Indian Territory, October 1, 1858, he killed two Comanches in hand-to-hand fight. Resigning his commission, Febuary 27, 1861, he was appointed a major and adjutant-general in the South Carolina army, and in that capacity served in the operations against Fort Sumter. In May he was appointed a captain of cavalry in the regular army of the Confederate States. At Bull Run, he commanded a small brigade, posted on the extreme left of Beauregard’s corps, guarding the stone bridge. Plere he detected the movement of McDowell’s army to turn the Confederate flank, shifted his brigade to meet it, and for some time held back the advance, at first alone, and later in conjunction with Bee’s command. Heavily outnumbered, Evans’s brigade finally broke up, but its resistance had saved the Confederate army and made its final victory possible. He was given temporary rank as a colonel a few days later. In October 1861, he commanded at the battle of Ball’s Bluff, an unimportant affair, but regarded at the time, both North and South, as a great and decisive battle. This brought him a vote of thanks from the Confederate Congress, a gold medal from his state, appointment as a brigadier-general, and assignment to the command of an independent brigade which normally served in the Carolinas but was sent so often to temporary duty elsewhere that it has been called the “tramp brigade. ” Thus it fought at the second battle of Bull Run, at South Mountain, and at Antietam, attached to the Army of Northern Virginia—Evans being in temporary command of a division at the last two of these battles; and in 1863, during the Vicksburg campaign, it was with Johnston’s army in the West. Between these two expeditions, Evans commanded it in the little battle of Kinston, North Carolina, where he was defeated by Union forces greatly superior in numbers. Hitherto his military reputation had been good, though acquired to some extent by accident, but from early in 1863 he was in frequent difficulties. He was tried on charges of intoxication, and acquitted; and again tried and acquitted, a few months later, for alleged disobedience of orders. He was deprived of command for a long period, for General Beauregard, the department commander, considered him incompetent. An inspector-general reported that the discipline and efficiency of his brigade were not satisfactory, and that its commander had lost the confidence of his men (Official Records (Army), 1 ser. , vol. 20 7

Achievements

• He was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Connections

In 1860 he was married to Ann Victoria Gary, sister of General Martin W. Gary.

Father:

Thomas Evans

Mother:

Jane Beverly (Daniel) Evans

Wife:

Ann Victoria Gary