Evans, Sir George de Lacy (1787–1870), British army general, was born 7 October 1787 at Moig, Co. Limerick, son of John Evans, gentleman farmer, from Lisready, Co. Limerick, and Mary Ann Evans (née de Lacy) of Leamlara, Co. Cork. Educated at the Woolwich Military Academy, he joined the army in 1806 and was commissioned into the 22nd Regiment in India on 1 February 1807. He campaigned in India in the war against the Pindarees before joining Maj.-gen. John Abercromby in the campaign for Mauritius. Promoted to lieutenant in December 1809, he exchanged into the 3rd Dragoons in March 1812 and served throughout the Peninsula campaign with Wellington (qv). Present at the battles of Hormaza, Vittoria, and Toulouse, he remained in France until 1814. Attached to the staff of Gen. Robert Ross (qv) as deputy quartermaster-general, he was posted to the USA in 1814 and served in the final year of the British–American war (1812–14). He fought in the battles of Bladensburg and Baltimore and took possession of the houses of congress during the storming of Washington in August 1814. He was severely wounded at the battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815. Returning to Europe, he worked as a staff officer in Wellington's army and was engaged at the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo in June 1815. Due to his distinguished services in Spain, America, and France he received three promotions in 1815, finishing the year as a colonel. He remained on the staff of the army of occupation until 1818 before being put on half-pay.
In 1830 he began his political career and successfully contested the Rye by-election in the radical interest but lost his seat in the general election later in the same year. He subsequently served as MP for Westminster (1833–41, 1846–65). Interrupting his political career he served in the first Carlist war (1835–7) in Spain, commanding the British Legion, a force of 10,000 men raised with royal permission to fight in support of Queen Christina. Evans was granted the rank of lieutenant-general in the Spanish army and managed to organise the Legion, of which some 2,800 were Irish, into an effective fighting force. He was involved in numerous actions including Arlaban, Hernani, and Fuenterrabia, and, although Evans and the Legion were severely criticised in the tory press, his services were rewarded on his return to England with promotion to full colonel (June 1837) and a KCB (1838). In 1846 he was made a major-general.
At the outbreak of the Crimean war (1854–6) he was made a lieutenant-general and given command of the second division. He served with much distinction and was one of the few generals to emerge from the war with his reputation intact. Present at the battles of the Alma and Balaclava, he was confined to his sickbed at the beginning of the battle of Inkermann (5 November 1854). On hearing firing he went to the scene of the fighting to encourage his men and Gen. J. L. Pennefather (qv), whom he had left in command of his division. It was noted after the action that he never attempted to take any credit for the victory, diverting all praise to Pennefather. He returned to England in late 1855 and was formally thanked by parliament for his services in the Crimea. Retiring from politics in 1865, he died at his London home, 6 Great Cumberland St., 9 January 1870. He was buried in Kensal Green cemetery.
During the course of his long career numerous honours were bestowed on him, including a GCB (1855), the Grand Cross of Charles III (Spain), the First Class Order of the Medjidie (Turkey), and an honorary DCL from Oxford University (1855). He also published several books, including Facts relating to the capture of Washington (1829) and Memoranda of the contest in Spain (1840).