A plaque, weathered by time, marks the memory of a man whose story intertwines with the tumultuous birth of a nation. Right here, before the Col. Lewis Miles Hobbs Washington Plaque, we remember a man who lived and died for the ideals of liberty and adventure. The Col. Lewis Miles Hobbs Washington Plaque commemorates the life and sacrifice of a true Texas hero. Born in Georgia, Lewis Washington answered the call of freedom and journeyed to Texas around 1835, joining the fight for independence from Mexico.
Imagine the young Washington, swept up in the fervor of the Texas Revolution, fighting alongside other brave souls at the Siege of Bexar. He served valiantly with the Georgia Battalion at Refugio and Goliad, witnessing firsthand the cost of liberty. His commitment to Texas didn’t end with the war. Washington served in Sam Houston’s administration and later became a writer, his words reflecting the spirit of a young republic finding its footing. His adventurous spirit led him to Central America, where he worked as a correspondent for the New Orleans Picayune.
While on assignment in Nicaragua, Washington joined William Walker’s filibustering expedition, a testament to his unwavering belief in self-determination. It was on this expedition, in the heat of battle at Castillo Viejo in 1857, that he was fatally wounded. Though his body was never recovered, his memory lives on in the annals of Texas history. The Col. Lewis Miles Hobbs Washington Plaque stands as a reminder of his sacrifice, a testament to the enduring spirit of adventure and dedication that shaped Texas. As you stand before this plaque, remember Lewis Washington, a man who lived and died fighting for freedom, his story forever woven into the fabric of Texas history.