Brig Gen John Rogers Cooke

[shenandoah]

Brig Gen John Rogers Cooke (b.1833, d.1891) Cooke was from a family divided by the war. His father was a Union cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Philip St. George Cooke and his brother-in-law was Maj. Gen. JEB Stuart. He was born on June 10, 1833 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1854, Cooke graduated from Harvard University in civil engineering. After college, he served as an engineer for the Iron Mountain Railroad in Missouri but later that year joined the army and was appointed lieutenant. He served in the southwestern US until Virginia seceded from the Union in April 1861 whereupon he resigned his commission and then traveled to Virginia to report for duty. Cooke was made a 1st Lt. and went to Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was with the troops from Aquia Creek, Virginia that participated in the battle of Manassas July, 1861. Following the battle, Cooke formed a company of light artillery and served along the Potomac River. In February 1862, he was promoted to major and sent to serve in the Dept. of North Carolina as chief of artillery. Cooke was elected colonel of the 27th North Carolina Infantry in April and the regiment was sent to Virginia and attached to Gen. A.P. Hill’s Division where they saw action during the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days. During the battle of Antietam, Cooke led his men (along with the 3rd Arkansas Regiment) on an attack between the Dunkard Church and Sunken Road. The attack was eventually repelled by Union reserves entering the fight. Cooke fell back and was ordered to form a defensive line to hold off any Union advance. He replied by saying that though they had no ammunition, he would stay where he was as long as he had a man or a bayonet left. Cooke was wounded during the battle but stayed on the field and praised for his command. On November 1, he was promoted to Brig. General and given command of a brigade of regiments from North Carolina. The battle at Fredericksburg Dec 13, 1862, Cooke was wounded by a bullet to the forehead while his brigade supported Brig. Gen. Thomas R.R. Cobb’s brigade defending the stone wall at Marye’s Heights. He recovered and returned for duty the following April. Later that year, Oct 14, he received another serious wound at the battle of Bristoe Station. This time it was his leg and he would be out of action until he returned in time for the beginning of the Overland Campaign in May 1864 where he and the brigade fought with the III Corps in Maj. Gen. Henry Heth’s Division at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse where he was wounded once again. In all, he was wounded seven times during the war. On Aug. 25, 1864, he fought with his brigade during the Petersburg siege at Reams’s Station which helped rout the Union’s II Corps. Cooke’s last battles where at Sutherland Station where he temporarily stopped the Union breakthrough on April 2, 1865 and then at finally at Appomattox. After the war, Cooke lived in Richmond where he was a merchant and was involved in the chamber of commerce, Democratic Party, and board of directors of the state penitentiary. He co-founded the Confederate’s Soldiers Home in Richmond. On April 10, 1891, Cooke passed away and was buried in the Hollywood Cemetery Richmond, Virginia.

Other notes, he was a good charger, defender, disciplinarian and respected by his men. I have yet to buy FOF. So I am at a disadvantage of what other attributes generals might possess. Downloading for me is not a good option so I have been waiting for the release. Coming out soon, I hope. Once it does, I probably won't get much gen bios done since I will commanding them instead. I will try to finish TJackson at least.

[Gil R.]

Thanks. Did you see my note for you in the David Hunter thread?

[Gil R.]

Okay, here it is, with just minor changes:

Brig. Gen. John Rogers Cooke (b. 1833, d. 1891). Cooke was from a family divided by the war: his father was a Union cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Philip St. George Cooke and his brother-in-law was Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. He was born on June 10, 1833 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1854, Cooke graduated from Harvard University, where he studied civil engineering. After college, he served as an engineer for the Iron Mountain Railroad in Missouri, but later that year joined the army and was appointed to lieutenant. Cooke served in the Southwest until Virginia seceded from the Union in April 1861, whereupon he resigned his commission and then traveled to Virginia to report for duty. Cooke was made a 1st lieutenant and headed to Fredericksburg, soon serving with the troops from Aquia Creek, Virginia at the Battle of First Bull Run on July 21. Following the battle, Cooke formed a company of light artillery and served along the Potomac River. In February 1862, he was promoted to major and sent to serve in the Department of North Carolina as chief of artillery. Cooke was elected colonel of the 27th North Carolina Infantry in April, and the regiment was sent to Virginia and attached to Gen. A.P. Hill’s Division, in which it saw action during the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days’ Campaign. During the Battle of Antietam, Cooke led his men (along with the 3rd Arkansas Regiment) on an attack between the Dunkard Church and Sunken Road. The attack was eventually repelled by Union reserves entering the fight. Cooke fell back and was ordered to form a defensive line to hold off any Union advance, to which he replied that though they had no ammunition, he would stay where he was as long as he had a man or a bayonet left. Cooke was wounded during the battle but stayed on the field and earned praise for his command. Six weeks later, on November 1, he was promoted to brigadier general and given command of a brigade of North Carolina regiments. During the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862, Cooke was wounded by a bullet to the forehead while his brigade supported Brig. Gen. Thomas R.R. Cobb’s brigade in the defense of the stone wall at Marye’s Heights. Cooke recovered and returned for duty the following April. Later that year, on October 14, he received another serious wound at the Battle of Bristoe Station. This time it was his leg that was hit, taking him out of action until he returned in time for the beginning of the Overland Campaign in May 1864. During this campaign, Cooke and his brigade fought with the III Corps in Maj. Gen. Henry Heth’s Division at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse, where he was wounded once again. In all, Cooke was wounded seven times during the Civil War. On August 25, 1864, he led his brigade during the Second Battle of Reams’s Station, one of the engagements in the Siege of Petersburg, and thus helped to rout the Union’s II Corps. Cooke’s last battles where at Sutherland Station, where he temporarily stopped the Union breakthrough on April 2, 1865, and then at finally at Appomattox. After the war, Cooke lived in Richmond, where he was a merchant and was involved in the chamber of commerce, Democratic Party, and board of directors of the state penitentiary, and co-founded the Confederate’s Soldiers Home in Richmond. On April 10, 1891, Cooke passed away and was buried in Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery. (Bio by Andrew Thayer)

Leadership: 5
Tactics: 5
Initiative: 3
Command: 3
Cavalry:

Teaches: Disciplined (1), Random (-1)

Start date: 44


(By the way, FOF can be ordered as boxed CD's -- it's no longer only available by download. I'm torn whether to tell you this, in case it means that playing the game leaves you less time for bios...)

[shenandoah]

You mentioned I can order FOF on a cd. What version is on the cd? 1.9.23 (latest version)?

I will finish T Jackson this week and will have some more flavor quotes. I just finished a string of art shows and now have a some free time for awhile.

[Gil R.]

I just saw this post, so you probably know by now -- the new patch needs to be downloaded separately.

What sort of art?

[shenandoah]

I've been doing some playing and having fun learning my through. My art is photograph.

www.athayer.com

Somewhere, I thought I read on a thread that some of you guys (west civ) went to Michigan or Michigan State. There is an art show at Ann Arbor that is one of the best and biggest in the nation. I believe it is in July. Shows like that are hard to get in to as I have to apply to all the shows. I do shows around VA, DC, MD. With a 3 year old girl, I do try not to travel too far from home.

[Gil R.]

There are some great photos there. Good to see someone's still using old-fashioned film-based technology, instead of digital.

Regarding Ann Arbor, you're talking about the Art Fair. I was at one years ago, when I was still in school there. It's quite impressive, I agree. I didn't realize that one has to apply to be able to exhibit -- I would have figured the more, the merrier.