Career
Knobloch was from Thibodaux, Louisiana and he served in the American Civil War as Sergeant of Company I of the 26th Louisiana Infantry in the Confederate Army. In 1867, Knobloch married Flavia Knight. Knobloch was a supporter of the McEnery faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party.
In 1884 Knobloch ran for and was elected Lieutenant Governor but he was defeated in the Democratic Primary when he ran for reelection in 1888.
He blamed his defeat in Lafourche Parish on State Senator East.A. O"Sullivan who represented the Parish in the legislature. In February 1889 they came to blows on the streets of Thibodaux and one week later Knobloch challenged O"Sullivan to a duel.
They met on the dueling grounds at the Oaks in New Orleans on March 1, 1889 with O"Sullivan choosing swords as the method for the duel. When the parties were assembled at the Oaks, it was determined that the ground was too wet with dew to allow sword fighting and after a brief parley, the dispute was resolved without violence.
