History of Greensboro, (Hale County) Alabama United States of America

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Richmond Pearson Hobson, naval offier, was born at Greensborough, Ala., Aug. 17, 1870; son of Judge James M. and Sallie C. (Pearson) Hobson; and grandson of Samuel Augustus and Ann (Morehead) Hobson, of North Carolina, and of Judge Richmond Mumford and Margaret (Williams) Pearson, of North Carolina. His paternal grandfather was for many years, and at the the of his death, chief justice of the supreme court of North Carolina. His father served in the Confederate army in the civil war. Richmond Pearson Hobson attended a private school, 1878-82, studied at Southern university, Greensborough, Ala., 1882-85, and was graduated from the U.S. naval academy in 1889. He took a post-graduate course at the Ecole d'Application du G?nie Maritime, Paris. He was promoted assistant naval constructor, July 1, 1891, and was on duty in the navy department on the bureau of construction and repairs, 1894-95; on the U.S. flagship New York, with the North Atlantic squadron, duriug the summer of 1895; at the navy yard, New York, 1895-96; and at Newport News, Va., in the construction of battleships, 1896-97. He organized and conducted a post-graduate course for officers contemplating the construction corps at the U.S. naval academy in 1897-98. He went to sea with the North Atlantic squadron in March, 1898, and took a number of post-graduate students as assistants. He served as a coustructor with the fleet and on the flagship New York, on blockade duty, at the bombardment of Matanzas, April 27, 1898, and at the bombardment of San Juan de Porto Rico, May 12, 1898. He originated and carried out the plan, June 8, 1898, of sinking the collier Merrimac at the entrance of Santiago harbor, under fire of the enemy's guns, so that Cervera's escape from the harbor migt be impeded, if not effectually blocked. After executing his plan he was taken prisoner with his seven companions and held at Morro castle, and they were exchanged for Spanish prisoners taken by the American forces, July 6, 1892. He received the thanks of congress for his heroic deed in June, 1898, and was promoted to the rank of naval constructor, with the relative rank of lieutenant, June 23, 1898. He was commissioned inspector of the Spanish wrecks in August, 1898, and was in charge of the operations to save them for the United States if possible. He succeeded in saving the Maria Teresa in Santiago, harbor. He was ordered to the Asiatic station, Dec. 15. 1898, and superintended at Hong Kong, China, the repairing and rehabilitation of the three Spanish vessels raised in Manila, saving the government, after deducting all costs of repairs and reconstruction, $300,000. In September, l900, he reported for duty at Washington, D.C.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Greensboro, (Hale County) Alabama

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