Hopkins was in school at Oxford College(Emory University) when the war began

He enlisted as a private September 1, 1862 in Hopkin's Company, 1st Battalion Georgia Cavalry. A month later he was transferred as Jr. Lt. to Company A, 24th Battalion, Georgia Cavalry and was promoted to 1st Lt in May 1863.

He was listed as sick and in Hospital No. 7, Savannah, Ga. December 1983.

With the consolidation of units, Lt. Hopkins was transferred to Company G, 7th Georgia Cavalry February 13, 1864. The 7th was assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia and on June 5, 1864, he was promoted to Captain.

Captain Hopkins was captured June 11, 1864 at Trevillian Station and through Fortress Monroe was moved to Point Lookout, Md. and then to Ft. Delaware on June 23. Six hundred officers at Ft. Delaware, including Capt. Hopkins, were shipped to Charleston Harbor in August of 1864, imprisoned in a stockade and used as human shields against Confederate bombardment. In October the "Immortal 600" were moved to Ft. Pulaski, Ga. and placed in a similar situation. He was transferred to Hilton Head, S.C. in November and back to Ft. Delaware in March.

Captain Hopkins was released on June 17, 1865 after signing an oath of allegiance. He then returned to Thomas County, Ga., where he died in January 1902 and is burried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, Ga.