The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-24

said: The Spartans who held the pass al 1her-
mopylae may be forgotten, the 600 Engishmen
who made the charge at Balaklava may go IN
sung. but in this land under the Stars and Stripes
forever will lnger the memory of the gritty
Christian gentleman, Richmond Pearson Hob
son of Alabama"
And John Clark Ridpath, better known as
historian than as a poet, broke into song with
q long poem under the title of 'Hobson OF Ala
hama" typical verse of which follows:
Hurrah for Hobson! Hurrah for his band
Each fellow who took his life in his hand
And volunteered to sink the ship,
And did il, and then gave Death the slip!
The Republic lives! The stern old day
OF heroic valor has come our way!
Hurrah for the sailors and soldiers too,
Who follow the flag with its field Of blue,
With its stripes unstained and its quenchless
stars
OUTLYING ten thousand rents and scars!
And when our children in far-of days
Are falling away from their fathers ways,
And the sun Of freedom seems Ike TO set,
Revive their courage, and don't forget
Brave Hobson of Alabama.
.Sic transit gloria mundi :" indeed! For
Richmond Pearson Hobson had to wait nearly
IS years for the official recognition OF his deed
and when it finally came the newspapers, which
had once emblazoned his name in streaming
honor in a news story of only few brief para
graphs
Hobson was born at Greensboro. Ala August
II 1870. Educated in the Greensboro public
schools and in the Southern university, he be-
came interested in the navy during a visit TO
New Orleans and won an appointment TO the
United States Naval academy at Annapolis,
from which he was graduated in 1880 In the
academy he had devoted himself 10 naval con-
md in hn adj an
ant naval constructor with the rank of neuten-
ant which he held ar the outbreak Of the Span
ish-American war.
Just before Dewey's memorable victory ar
Manila bay in the Philippines Spanish feet
consisting Of four armored cruisers and three
torpedo-boat desuoyers. led by Admiral Cervera,
left the Cape Verde islands for Cuban waters.
Cervera succeeded in euding the Flying Squad
ron" of the United States navy. commanded by
Commodore Schley which had set out 10 find
the enemy. and entered the harbor of Santiago
in safety. Schley followed him TO Santiago and
established a blockade of the enemy feet while
awaiting the arrival of Captain Sampson, acting
rear admiral and commander in chief of our ma
val forces who was hurrying TO Santiago with q
feet led by his flagship, the New York.
The story OF how Hobson got his chance for
fame is told by John r. Spears IN his History
of Our Navy" as follows:
After reaching Santiago and taking one look
at the narrow entrance 10 the harbor the pos
sibility Of sinking a ship there 10 efectualy
close it and so prevent Cerveras exit was ap-
parent TO many of the officers Of the squadron.
Sampson, knowing the width of the channel, had
considered the plan Of sinking q ship in 1t and
in dispatch dated May 81 had ordered Schey
10 sink the collier Sterling there, but Schley
ignored the order ON the very day he reached
Santiago. Sampson began 10 carry out the plan.
There was the Merrimac. She had been sold
10 the government AZ q price twice her valne.
Size bad ship-she could serve the al