Sir George de Lacy Evans | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of George de Lacy Evans,c. 1863 | |
| Born | 7 October 1787[1][2] Moig,County Limerick, Ireland |
| Died | 9 January 1870 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | British Legion 2nd Division |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France) |
| Other work | Member of Parliament |
GeneralSir George de Lacy EvansGCB (7 October 1787 – 9 January 1870) was anIrish officer in theBritish Army who served in four of the United Kingdom's 19th century wars. He became a long-servingMember of Parliament.[3]
Evans was born in 1787, inMoig, County Limerick, Ireland. Educated atWoolwich Academy he followed his elder brother Richard (1782–1847) into the military, joining theEast India Company's forces in 1800 before volunteering for theBritish Army in India in 1806. He obtained anensigncy in the22nd Regiment of Foot in 1807 then exchanged into the3rd Light Dragoons in order to take part in thePeninsular War.[4] He was sent on the expedition to the United States of 1814 during theWar of 1812 under Major GeneralRobert Ross. Evans was quartermaster general to Ross at theBattle of Bladensburg on 24 August 1814, and during theBurning of Washington, as well as at theBattle of North Point on 12 September 1814, where Ross was killed.
Evans was actively involved in the New Orleans campaign at the conclusion of theWar of 1812. He was the only British Army officer present at the Royal Navy 'small boat action' onLake Borgne, and was wounded at thebattle of New Orleans.
Returning to the European war with the restoration of EmperorNapoleon I, Evans was present at thebattle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815 and thebattle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, and went on half pay in 1818.
Although he had no personal experience inCentral Asia, Evans became increasingly concerned that Russia had designs on India posing a threat of an attack through Central Asia. He wrote two books, “On the Designs of Russia” (1828)[5] and “On the Practicability of an Invasion of British India” (1829).[6] highlighting this threat. These books were influential in persuadingEdward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough,President of the Board of Control of India, to gather intelligence from all sources, including sending out young officers to explore the possible invasions routes into India, as part ofthe Great Game.[7]
Evans commanded theBritish Legion, which volunteered to assistIsabella II of Spain in theFirst Carlist War (1833-1840). In 1846, he was promoted to Major-General, and on the outbreak of theCrimean War in 1854, he was promoted to Lieutenant-General.
In 1853 he was given the colonelcy for life of the21st Regiment of Foot (Royal North British Fusiliers) and promoted full general on 10 March 1861.[8]
He served as aMember of Parliament (MP) forRye in 1830, and from 1831 to 1832, and forWestminster from 1833 to 1841 and from 1846 to 1865. He was also awarded the Grand Cross of the FrenchLegion of Honour.[9]
In 1854, Evans was appointed to command the2nd Division at the start of theCrimean War, and fought at theBattle of the Alma. Around the time of theBattle of Inkerman, he was sick, so Major GeneralJohn Pennefather was in command of the division. He was later invalided home. On his return home, he received the thanks of theHouse of Commons.
Beginning in the middle 1850s Evans became a strong advocate for reform of the British army. In particular he was harshly critical of the system by which British army officerspurchased their commissions and were expected to pay for each rank of promotion. While he did not live to see the final abolition of the purchase system which occurred in 1871, his persistent call for amelioration was instrumental in its ultimate demise.[10]
Evans died on 9 January 1870, and is buried inKensal Green Cemetery, London.
Portraits of Evans were painted byPeter Edward Stroehling (above) andRichard Buckner.[11] The original life-size Buckner portrait was rediscovered in 2012 and was authenticated by art historianPhilip Mould on theBBC Antiques Road Show at Cheltenham in 2013.
Sir George de Lacy Evans's medals and awards are on display at the Queens Own Royal Hussars Museum located in theLord Leycester Hospital in Warwick.
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1787.
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| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forRye May 1830 –August 1830 With:Richard Arkwright | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forRye 1831 –1832 With:Thomas Pemberton | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forWestminster 1833–1841 With:Francis Burdett, to 1837 John Temple Leader, from 1837 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forWestminster 1846–1859 With:John Temple Leader, from 1846 Charles Lushington, 1847–1852 John Shelley, from 1852 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Colonel of the21st (Royal North British) Fusiliers 1853–1870 | Succeeded by |
