Richmond P . Hobson Richmond Pearson Hobson ( August 17 , 1870 – March 16 , 1937 ) was a United States Navy Rear Admiral who served from 1907 - 1915 as a U . S . Representative from Alabama . A veteran of the Spanish - American War , he received the Medal of Honor years later for his part in that conflict . Early life and career . He was born at Magnolia Grove in Greensboro in Hale County in the western Black Belt of Alabama . He graduated from the U . S . Naval Academy in 1889 . He was ostracized by his fellow midshipmen for his total abstinence from alcohol and tobacco . He maintained a superb academic record , graduating first in his class and became the highest ranking midshipman : Cadet Battalion Commander ( today ' s Brigade Commander ) . After duty in Chicago , he underwent additional training and was appointed Assistant Naval Constructor in 1891 . Hobson then served at various Navy Yards and facilities , including a tour of duty as instructor at the Naval Academy . Spanish - American War . In the early days of Spanish - American War , he was with Admiral William T . Sampson in New York , and arrived off Santiago on June 1 , 1898 . In order to bottle up the Spanish squadron of Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete , Hobson took temporary command of the collier " Merrimac " , which he would attempt to sink as an obstruction in the channel . The attempt was made early June 3 , under heavy Spanish fire , which disabled the steering gear of the collier . Hobson did sink the " Merrimac " , but was unable to place her in the shallowest part of the channel . With his crew of six , he was picked up by Admiral Cervera himself and treated quite chivalrously . Hobson became a hero of the American press while he was a prisoner of war in Cuba . His portrait appeared in hundreds of newspapers with embellished stories of his bravery in volunteering for what was perceived as a suicide mission . A fund was raised to aid his parents in avoiding foreclosure of their mortgage . When Hobson was released during a prisoner exchange on July 6 , 1898 , hundreds of American troops snapped to attention , then burst into cheers as he passed . He was deluged with speaking invitations when he returned to the United States . After dining with President William McKinley , Hobson traveled west by train en route to San Francisco and the Philippines . Crowds greeted his train at many stations , and his enthusiasm for kissing admiring young women made him a sex symbol of the Victorian age . He became a sort of celebrity during the rise of popular journalism at the turn of the century and was referred to as " the most kissed man in America . " Hobson authored a book about the events surrounding the sinking of the " Merrimac " . Hobson was advanced ten numbers in grade after the war and , in 1933 , awarded the Medal of Honor for his attempt to block the channel . Following the end of the war he helped repair and refit captured Spanish cruisers at Cavite and at various Navy shore stations . Political career . After resigning from active duty in 1903 , Hobson remained a staunch supporter of the Navy and during his subsequent career as a Democratic U . S . Representative from Alabama , 1907 – 1915 , was a firm advocate of naval expansion . He was denied renomination in the 1914 Democratic primary , and was notable for being the only Congressman from the Deep South to vote for the ( failed ) women ' s suffrage bill in the 1915 lame - duck session . In 1934 , by special act of the United States Congress , he was advanced to Naval Constructor with a rank of Rear Admiral , and placed on the retired list . He died on March 16 , 1937 , in New York City and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia . What better way to campaign for office than to have your name close to a face . The Atlantic Cutlery Company ( c1898 - 1914 ) produced a number of promotional straight razors with the engraved inscription " Our Hero Richmond Pearson Hobson at Santiago June 5th 1898 " . Razor pictured has " Hobson LXX " hand - etched on back side of blade . Role in American drug policy . After leaving Congress , Hobson became very active in the cause of banning drugs and alcohol , earning the nickname " The Father of American Prohibition " . Hobson was a prolific author on this subject , writing the books Narcotic Peril ( 1925 ) , The Modern Pirates - Exterminate Them ( 1931 ) and Drug Addiction : A Malignant Racial Cancer ( 1933 ) , speaking on radio programs and in front of civic groups , founding the International Narcotic Education Association and lobbying his former Congressional colleagues in favor of anti - drug laws . During the 1920s and ' 30s , Hobson was the Anti - Saloon League ' s highest - paid special speaker . Personal life and legacy . In 1905 , Hobson married Grizelda Houston Hull , cousin of U . S . Army general Joseph Wheeler , in Tuxedo Park , New York . The couple ' s son , Richmond P . " Rich " Hobson , Jr . , became a rancher in Canada and wrote several popular memoirs of his time there . Hobson ' s nephew , James Hobson Morrison , Sr . , was the Democratic congressman from the Baton Rouge - centered Sixth Congressional District of Louisiana from 1943 - 1967 . One of Hobson ' s close friends was the inventor Nikola Tesla . Tesla served as the best man in Hobson ' s 1905 wedding . In later years , Hobson was the only person who was able to persuade Tesla to interrupt his intellectual pursuits for a movie gathering . The destroyer was named in his honor . A small town in south Texas was renamed from Castine to Hobson after he spoke there on a railroad tour . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Lieutenant , U . S . Navy . Born : 17 August 1870 , Greensboro , Ala . Accredited to : New York . ( Medal presented by President , 29 April 1933 . ) Citation : In connection with the sinking of the U . S . S . " Merrimac " at the entrance to the fortified harbor of Santiago de Cuba , 3 June 1898 . Despite persistent fire from the enemy fleet and fortifications on shore , Lt . Hobson distinguished himself by extraordinary courage and carried out this operation at the risk of his own personal safety .