Many of our naval and army officers are of southern birth. Richmond
Pearson Hobson is a case in point, since he was born at Greensboro,
Alabama, August 17, 1870. His ancestors were English and many of them
were members of the nobility. Young Hobson, after a course in the
public schools and the Southern university at Greensboro, entered the
United States naval academy at Annapolis in 1889. He was immediately
appointed a midshipman on the Chicago, under command of Rear-Admiral
Walker and ordered to the European station. Upon his return he received
the compliment of an appointment as one of the United States officers
permitted by the British government to receive a course of instructions
at the Royal navy college, Woolwich, England. Here he remained three
years, taking a special study in naval architecture. On returning
home he received an appointment to the navy department at Washington,
and discharged his duties with such fidelity and intelligence that he
was given an appointment as assistant naval constructor. He was later
ordered to the Brooklyn navy yard, where he remained one year. Next he
went to Newport News to inspect the battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky,
which were under construction there. He then became instructor in the
post-graduate course in naval instruction, which he inaugurated at
the naval academy in 1897. In 1898 he, with his pupils, was ordered
to join Sampson’s fleet at Key West, with which he remained until the
performance of the remarkable and historic feat of bottling up Cervera
in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. He received a great deal of deserved
honor for this achievement, and was nominated by President McKinley
March 1, 1899, to be advanced ten numbers from number one from the list
of naval constructors for extraordinary heroism. This is said to be the
greatest possible promotion in the naval service for gallant conduct in
the face of the enemy. Hobson has done subsequent excellent work and is
the author of a number of works on subjects relative to his profession.