Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 4th ed., 
1887 Green Co.

GEN. EDWARD H. HOBSON was born July 11, 1825, in Greensburg (this
state), and is a son of William and Lucy A. (Kertly) Hobson.  The 
former, William Hobson, was born in Virginia, in January, 1788.  The 
precise date of his birth was not known to him and he adopted the 8th 
of January as his birthday, because on that day the great battle was 
fought at New Orleans.  His mother and father died when he was quite 
young, and his father having been in indigent circumstances, he 
(William) was placed in the guardianship of his uncle, Jonathan 
Patteson, who removed to Green County, Ky., in 1796, bringing William 
with him.  He learned the saddler's trade, and as his time permitted 
studied the common educational branches, but was not able to remain in 
school.  He went to Nashville, but returned, and in October, 1808, 
located permanently in Greensburg, and went into business on his own
account.  When the war of 1812 broke out he enlisted in a company raised
by Warner Elmore, and joined the First Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer 
Dragoons, under Col. James Simral.  His regiment was attached to Gen. 
Harrison's army in the Northwest, and soon after arriving there Mr. 
Hobson was made second lieutenant of his company, and later was 
unanimously elected first lieutenant, and distinguished himself at the 
battle of Massisinna, Ohio.  After the war he married and reared a 
large family.  Upon the establishment of a bank at Greensburg, in 1818, 
he was elected a director, and for forty years he was a member of the 
board of village trustees of Greensburg, and much of the time was 
president.  His father was William Hobson, and his mother a Miss 
Patterson.  Gen. Hobson, whose name heads this sketch, has rendered 
his State distinguished services.  He is one of the self-made men,
and has carved out his own position.  His early education was obtained
in Greensburg. He was offered a classical education, but preferred 
engaging in business that he might assist his father, who had become
somewhat involved.  When but fourteen years old he made a trip to the 
South driving hogs; walked the entire distance to Selma, Ala.; returned 
by way of New Orleans to Smithland, and walked thence through the deep 
snow.  He learned the saddler's trade, which he followed for ten years, 
earning money and assisting his father. At the age of twenty he 
embarked in the grocery business in which he was successful, and 
finally changed it to a general store.  In 1846 he enlisted as a 
private, and assisted in recruiting Company A, of the Second Kentucky 
Infantry, for the Mexican war.  He was elected second lieutenant of the 
company, and shortly before the battle of Beuna [sic] Vista, was 
promoted to first lieutenant.  He participated in that hard fought 
battle, and commanded the left wing of his company as sharpshooters
and skirmishers.  Upon being discharged from the army he resumed his
mercantile business in Greensburg.  He became a director in the Bank of
Greensburg and in 1850 was elected its president, which position he held
until December, 1861, discharging his duties with fidelity.  He was
major in the State Guards before the civil war, and his battalion 
comprised five companies.  In 1861, when Fort Sumter was fired upon, 
Gen Hobson's patriotism was aroused, and he resolved to render all the 
assistance in his power to the Union cause and began recruiting  a 
regiment.  Previous to this he received an order from Gen. Buckner to 
go into camp with his battalion of State Guards, an order he refused to 
obey.  In August, 1861, he was handed a colonel's commission, and 
invited by Gen. Nelson to report to Camp Nelson.  Shortly after he 
received the appointment of colonel from the war department at 
Washington.  He immediately proceeded to raise the Thirteenth Infantry. 
It was reported that the Confederates intended to seize the Bank of 
Greensburg and its contents, and Gen. Hobson determined to thwart their 
intentions by removing the funds (then amounting to $140,000) for 
safety to Louisville.  Although he had but about 100 men recruited for 
his regiment, with these as escort he moved with the funds to 
Campbellsville, then with five men as escort to Louisville, where he
arrived with them in safety, receiving great praise from the bank
officials at Louisville for his promptness and forethought.  While at 
Louisville he drew twenty guns for his regiment, and returned and 
established his camp at Greensburg, which was further south than any 
Federal camp then in Kentucky.  Afterward he went into camp "Andrew 
Johnson," at Campbellsville, into camp then at Tebb's Bend (Camp 
Hobson), and here the Thirteenth, Twenty-first and Twenty-seventh 
Regiments were mustered into service.  While recruiting Gen. Hobson had 
several skirmishes with the enemy, the first blood being shed at Cyrus 
Hutchison's in a skirmish with a detachment of Hardee's men.  Gen. 
Hobson distinguished himself at Shiloh, his gallant conduct there
being the means for his nomination for a brigadier-general, but he did
not receive the merited promotion until in March, 1863.  He was in the 
siege of Corinth, and afterward was in the memorable chase of Bragg to 
Louisville, and participated in the engagements at Mount Washington, 
Perryville, Crab Orchard, and at Mount Vernon.  At the latter place 
with two regiments, the Fifty-ninth Ohio and the Thirteenth Kentucky, 
he was ordered to advance into Clay County; on the expedition he 
captured 150 men. He then joined Gen. Thomas and proceeded south.  When 
near Nashville he was ordered by Gen. Rosecrans to take the Thirteenth, 
Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Regiments, and return to Munfordville 
to recruit and rest, and discipline other regiments that would report 
to him, and protect the Green River bridge.  He remained here from 
November, 1862, to June, 1863, and while stationed here received his 
commission as brigadier-general, to take rank from the 29th of November,
1862.  He was ordered to report to Gen. Hartsuff, at Lexington, and was 
placed in control of the Kentucky Central division of the department.  
With reluctance he accepted the trust, believing that, with his almost 
perfect knowledge of the country, he could render better service further
south.  He was soon ordered to return to Munfordville, and then to 
Columbia, and then report to Gen. Juda, at Bowling Green, who ordered 
him to Glasgow, and thence to Tompkinsville.  While here he developed 
Gen. Morgan's (John H.) position, and was ordered to Marrow Bone, and 
directed to hold the place at all hazards; there on the 2d of July, 
1863, skirmished and repulsed part of Morgan's command.  He was 
arranging to attack Morgan on the 3d of July, when he received orders
from Gen. Juda, who was twelve miles in his rear, to stop his 
preparations.  This order of Gen. Juda afforded Gen. Morgan an 
opportunity to move toward the Ohio River to his doom.  Gens. Hobson 
and Shackelford were ordered to advance after Morgan had a start of 
fifteen hours; the former proceeded by way of Greensburg, where he was 
to form a junction with Gen. Juda, but the latter not having arrived, 
Hobson pushed on to Campbellsville, where he was joined by Shackelford,
and together they moved on to Lebanon.  At Lebanon Gen. Hobson received 
orders from Gen. Burnside to assume command of the pursuing force, 
including Gen. Shackelford's, Col. Wolford's and his own troops, and 
pursue and capture Morgan.  With 2,500 men under his command, he pushed 
on after Morgan, and from the time he left Lebanon was in the saddle 
twenty-one days and nights successively.  When within fifteen miles of 
Brandenburg, where Morgan crossed the Ohio River, he was overtaken by an
orderly with orders from Gen. Juda, but disregarding Gen. Juda's orders,
he directed the orderly to fall into ranks, which he did. With an 
advance guard of fourteen men and two pieces of artillery, Gen. Hobson 
came up with Gen. Morgan in Ohio, near Buflington Island, attacked and 
defeated him in battle, capturing and killing many of his men.  He does 
not claim the honor of capturing Morgan, according that honor to one of 
his junior officers, Maj. Rue, of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry.  The 
General and his men gave the ladies of Ohio and Indiana great credit 
for their smiles and cheers, and particularly for their excellent 
provender.  Many amusing incidents occurred while passing through the 
States north of the Ohio River.  In southern Indiana a Knight of the 
Golden Circle rode up to Hobson with "How do you do, Gen. Morgan, am 
glad to see you. We are waiting for Gen. Hobson, with 100 men with whom 
we intend to annoy and bushwhack him as much as possible."  He was 
finally informed that he was then talking to Gen. Hobson, and he was 
handed over to an Indiana officer to be treated as he deserved.  After 
the capture of Gen. Morgan, Gen. Juda, who had come up the river on 
boats, assumed command of the Federal forces under protest from Gen. 
Hobson. But orders were soon received from Gen. Burnside to turn
everything over to Gen. Hobson and not to interfere with him in any way.
It is confidently believed that, had Hobson been in command from the
first, Gen. Morgan never could have crossed the Ohio River.  After the 
Ohio raid Gen. Burnside, in acknowledgment of his distinguished 
services, placed Gen. Hobson in command of the entire cavalry force, 
for the expedition against Knoxville, Tenn., but the long fatiguing 
march, in pursuit of Morgan, had prostrated him, and it was two months 
before he was again able for active duty, and hence, did not participate
in the Knoxville campaign.  His next service was the annihilation of 
Col. Johnson, in western Kentucky, after which he reported to Gen. 
Burbridge and accompanied that officer on his fruitless expedition 
against the salt works in Virginia.. In the retreat from that place 
after the battle (the command having been turned over to him on the 
field, and in front of the enemy by Gens. Burbridge and McClain) Gen. 
Hobson successfully conducted it, the two senior officers (Burbridge
and McClain) going in advance to avoid capture.  The whole honor of
saving the army from total destruction belongs solely to Gen. Hobson. 
During the retreat they were attacked several times by the enemy, and 
a negro regiment stampeded, being led in the rout by its officers. Gen. 
Hobson caught the Major's horse by the bridle and threatened to shoot 
him if he did not stand and endeavor to rally his men.  The act had a 
salutary effect on the regiment.  Gen. Hobson was a gallant officer, 
brave, but not rash; cool and determined in the midst of danger, and 
always at his post when there was work to do.  He was well liked by his
men, and very popular in the army.  After the close of the war he 
returned home and again resumed the mercantile business.  In 1869 he 
was appointed collector of internal revenue for the Fourth District, 
which position he held until 1874.  Since then he has been a director 
and president of the Cumberland & Ohio Railroad.  He is also extensively
engaged in farming and the lumber business, and is looked upon as one 
of the most enterprising and progressive men in southern Kentucky.  Gen.
Hobson married Katie Adair, a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth 
(Monroe) Adair.  They have had six children born to them: William A., 
Anna M. Penick, Atwood M. (deceased), John A., Edwena and Bettie K.  
His wife died in 1872.  Gen. Hobson is a prominent and zealous Mason,
and was Deputy Grand Master of the Masons for the State when the war 
broke out.  He is also a member of the G.A.R.  In 1866 Gen. Hobson was 
strongly and urgently solicited, by the Union party of Kentucky, to 
make the race for clerk of the court of appeals.  Very much against his 
wishes he reluctantly consented, saying that he knew, owing to the 
political situation at that  time in Kentucky, that he would be
sacrificed; that he was an ardent supporter of the Thirteenth Amendment
to the Federal Constitution, which measure in time would become popular,
but his strong and urgent advocacy of the amendment would be the cause 
of his defeat, which proved to be correct.  Since the war Gen. Hobson 
has been an ardent Union man, and stanch Republican; has several times 
been tendered the nomination for Congress in the Fourth Congressional 
District of Kentucky, but owing to the nature of his private business 
was compelled to decline the nomination.  He was always a great admirer 
and earnest friend of Gen. Grant, and was a delegate to the Chicago 
Convention when Grant was proposed for a third term, and was one of the 
famous 306 who voted for Grant until his defeat in the convention by 
Gen. Garfield.

Hobson Kertly Patteson Elmore Simral Harrison Buckner Nelson  
Hutchison Hardee  Bragg Thomas Rosecrans Hartsuff Juda Morgan  
Shackleford Burnside Wolford Rue Johnson Burbridge McClain Adair  
Monroe Penick Grant Garfield
=
Clay-Ky VA OH TN AL Washington-DC

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/green/hobson.eh.txt