The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-01-24
THE FIGHTING HoBBsEs.

lie JVhN
THE FIGHTING HoBBsEs.
The following story of the Hobbs is
taken from the Caterer, publication
owned by Col. John F. Hobbies anc
published in New York. AS the Hobbies
are from the lower section of New
berry county or the upper section o.
Lexington and have many relatives
in the county we are sure the story
will be read with interest.
(From the October Caterer, 1879
The Hobses in this sketch came
from hard fighting blood on three
lines. They descend from a noble
Scotch strain, from Chief Llewellyn,
the famous fighting king of Wales and
from teutonic line of liberty loving,
fighting barons, some of whom were
driven out of Germany as far back as
1897 and their estates confscated.
Col. John F, Hobbs was told that he
could recover the title and feudal es-
tate of at least one of these. His reply
was characteristic of his blood. 1T
wasn't good enough for my liberty
loving forefathers, and it's not good
enough for me- Besides, / am clti-
zen, the blood of whose forebears flow
ed for freedom in 1776, and my blood
is now fighting Germany for the free
dom of mankind"
DR.. Llewellyn Pickens Hobbs, the
father of Col. John F. Hobbs, presi-
dent and editor of The Caterer, had
the relative rank of Brigadier Gener-
al at the close Of the Civil War. He
was noted physician and surgeon in
those days, in the South.
Col. John Fletcher Hobbs is the first
born of his family, and received the
commission of Lieutenant Colonel be-
fore he was of age. He declined the
commission of Brigadier General of
the Ninth Brigade in his native State.
succeeding Gen. B. F. Nicholson. He
did so for conscientious reasons. The
legislature made the position elective
and the dashing young officer refused
to run for it, even at the most urgent
request of the governor and the Major
General commanding. He took the
ground that general officers should be
appointed and not elected by the rank
and file. The legislature took that
view too, later, and repealed the elec-
ton law.
Col. John F. Hobbs was the "man-of-
mystery" who commanded the native
troops and the hero of the battle of
Apia in which the opposing Germans
were badly whipped. He was severe
ly wounded in action in that fight, but
fought it out. He has been wounded
several times in battle; once entirely
through the body. He has asked
President Wilson to let him fight now.
John Fletcher Hobbs, Jr., was too
young to enlist with the American
forces. His patriotic fighting blood ;
was up and boiling. He went to Aus
tralia before he was 18 years old and
enlisted as an "Anzac" with the Aus
..alian Light Horse and has been
fighting with the forces that captured i
Jerusalem and which has just ami
hilated the Turks and captured NaZar
eth and the country up to the sacred
Sea of Gallilee. The spirit of the
American boy which actuated young
John Fletcher Hobbs to go to far Aus
tralia where there is neither draft nor
other compulsion, to enlist, is the
same true fame which burns in the
heart of millions of the American
youth. He writes Colonel Hobbs from
the front that it is hard to get cigar
cites over there in Palestine, so a big
supply goes to this young man dare
devil Yankee Anzac each month from
his native home, America.
Kenneth G. Hobbs, the oldest broth
er of John Fletcher Hobbs, Jr, is now
in uniform and under orders. He
says his baby brother won't have any
thing on him, when he gets his trench
legs going.
Lonnie Hobbs enlisted in the Sew
enth Regiment, in New York City, but
was rejected because of his heart. He
has been turned down twice since for
the same cause. He is trying every
crook and turn to enter the service,
and is encouraged.
These Hobbs boys and the "old
rooster" SO doing their bit and are