The National tribune., 1901-10-10
GEN. e. H. H0BS0N.
Death of a aallan. Soldier in Two Wars.

De8LQ Oh q tallAub OOluloR Ia wv W ~
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Gen. Ed
ward FL. Hobson died Sept. 10, aged rs
years. He served as q private. then as
Lieutenant, in the I'd KY, during the war
with Mexico. Early In 1861 he raised the
18th KY, which received its baptism Of
leaden hail at Shiloh. Hobson, though
crippled, on Monday, April Z, led his regi-
ment into the fiercest OF that days strug-
gle. He was promoted to Brigadier-Gen-
eral Immediately after the battle. After
this he commanded several cavalry expedi-
tions among others the force which ran
down and captured the great raider, John
Morgan, during which time he was in the
saddle &c days. He destroyed the COM
mand of Adam johnson, who was re-
cruiting in Kentucky in 1864. He also COM
manded the raid into Virginia, over 200
miles from his base of supplies, in Octo-
Der and November, 1864, known as the
Saltvile Raid. and on which he was in
the saddle almost continually for To days
and nights. Gen. Burbridge had the credit
of commanding this raid, but it is known
by every officer of that whipped or
outmanuvered command. that on the last
evening of the battle and while the Con-
federate commanders were hurrying
force to our rear to cut off our retreat
that Gems. Burbridge and Mclean left us
in the face of the enemy, after turning
over the command to Gen. Hobson, TAX
ing with them their STATS and one picked
battalion of cavalry. They hurried across
the bridge at Laurel Gap before it was
reached and destroyed by the enemy.
When night came on Nov. 2, '64) Gen.
Hobson ordered fires to be built all along
his lines, thus giving the enemy the inn
preston that we had been reinforced.
Late in the night we called in our pickets
nj An1A g.tln lr " n
we found the bridge destroyed. Gen.
HobsOn had another built with straw, fod
der and trees while under constant fire
to delay him until large force had
gained his front.
We were being pressed hard by n force
following us. We fought our way through
one position only TO find still another as
strong as the first. So HObson had to
fight his way for 200 miles back to Ken
lucky, living the while on grapes and paw
paws.
For over two years was secret scout
to Gen. Hobson while he commanded cav
airy, and can say that a kinder or more
social man never wore the stars of a Gen
eral. / have seen him dip coffee from the
same kettle with the privates, and wash
his face in the same branch. He was
seldom equipped with mess-chest, special
pack mules, etc, as / have seen other
commanding officers. He was more like
the old Buil-o' theWoods Of 1856 spoken
of by Peck in Rough Riding" He al
ways wanted his men to have the same
fare as himself, and if this was ever so
poor he was perfectly willing TO share
it with them. ] have often heard him say
that he believed that hard living, with
fatigue and danger on the side, were good
for both n mans morals and health.
There We're few such men as Hobson oc-
cupying important positions in our late
fill his place in our community.
Gen. Hobson was well known in Grand
Army circles. He held the positions Of
Senior ice-Commander-in-Ch Chief, Depart
ment Commander of Kentucky, and for
several years had been President of the
Veterans of the Mexican War. He was
attending the National Encampment of
the g. A. X. and Mexican Veterans at
Cleveland, o., when he was attacked by
neuralgia of the heart from which he
died very suddenly.-JoHN f. RUSSELL,
9th and 18th Ky. Cav, Greensburg, KY.