DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, Refugio County, Texas — you might not think of it as a place that held the line against an entire Union fleet. But pull over, friend, because the marker standing here says otherwise.
The man at the center of this story is Colonel A.M. Hobby. Born in 1831, a Georgian by origin, and by temperament — well, the marker calls him an ardent supporter of states' rights and secession.
That tells you where his convictions ran. He came to Texas, and Texas claimed him. He served in the Texas Legislature beginning in 1859, and when 1862 arrived and the war was demanding answers, Hobby didn't wait around.
He resigned his seat to go organize a battalion for the fight. What he built became Hobby's 8th Texas Infantry Regiment. And here's where Refugio County steps into the story in a big way — all four companies of Hobby's Infantry Battalion were organized right here in this county, in May of 1862.
All four. This ground sent men to build that unit from the ground up. Hobby's assignment was coastal defense — the stretch of Texas shore running between Indianola and Corpus Christi.
The marker puts it plainly and proudly: he kept the Federals on their ships. Prevented invasion. Now think about what that means.
Union vessels sitting out there on the water, and Hobby's men standing between them and Texas soil, holding that line. August of 1862, the unit withstood a Union bombardment of Corpus Christi. They held.
Then the battalion was formally organized into the 8th Texas Infantry in February of 1863. November of that same year, they staved off another attack on Corpus Christi — and they did it while covering the Confederate withdrawal from the Lower Rio Grande. Two jobs at once, under fire, and they got both done.
By 1864, most of the 8th were pulled into the Red River Campaign, fighting to prevent an invasion of Texas from that direction. And in 1865, they were back defending the Texas coast again. These men moved where the threat moved.
Hobby himself was with the Galveston coastal defenses in 1864 and 1865. He was also, and this is worth saying, a noted author and poet of patriotic works. The man commanded infantry and wrote verse.
Texas has always made room for that kind of person. The regiment didn't fight alone. The coastal defense force that held this stretch of Texas was composed of Maj.
A.M. Hobby's 8th Battalion Texas Infantry, Maj. Daniel D.
Shea's 4th Texas Artillery Battalion, Capt. B.F. Neal's Battery, Capt.
John Ireland's Texas Infantry Company, Capt. Jose M. Penaloza's Texas Infantry Company, and Capt.
Angel Navarro's Cavalry Company. That is a list of names worth sayin' out loud. The marker calls Texas coastal defense a brilliant chapter in the South's history.
A.M. Hobby was born in 1831 and died in 1881, and in the years between, he helped write that chapter — right here in Refugio County. The State of Texas erected this marker in 1963 as a memorial to Texans who served the Confederacy.
The ships came. They stayed on the water. That's the story.
What the marker says
1831-1881. Georgian. Ardent supporter of states' rights and secession. Served Texas Legislature 1859 until resignation in 1862 to organize battalion for war. Commanded Hobby's 8th Texas Infantry Regiment. In charge of area coastal defenses between Indianola and Corpus Christi, keeping the Federals on their ships, preventing invasion. In 1864-65 with Galveston coastal defenses. Noted author, poet of patriotic works. A memorial to Texans who served the Confederacy. Erected by the State of Texas 1963. Hobby's 8th Texas Infantry Regiment C.S.A.: Refugio County was represented in all four companies of Hobby's Infantry Battalion organized in this county May 1862. Unit successfully withstood Union bombardment of Corpus Christi August 1862. Organized into 8th Texas Infantry February 1863. Regiment staved off another attack on Corpus Christi November 1863 while covering the Confederate withdrawal from Lower Rio Grande. Most of the 8th were in Red River Campaign 1864 to prevent invasion of Texas. Again defended Texas Coast 1865. Texas coastal defense is a brilliant chapter in South's history. Composed of: Maj. A.M. Hobby's 8th Bn Tex Inf, Maj. Daniel D. Shea's 4th Tex Arty Bn, Capt. B.F. Neal's Btry, Capt. John Ireland's Tex Inf Co, Capt. Jose M. Penaloza's Tex Inf Co, Capt. Angel Navarro's Cav Co.