John Rogers Cooke

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John Rogers Cooke
June 9, 1833 – April 10, 1891

Place of birth	Jefferson Barracks, Missouri
Place of death	Richmond, Virginia
Allegiance	United States of America, Confederate States of America
Years of service	1855–61 (U.S.A), 1861–65 (C.S.A)
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	American Civil War - Battle of Antietam - Battle of Fredericksburg

John Rogers Cooke (June 9, 1833 – April 10, 1891) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He was the son of Union general Philip St. George Cooke and the brother-in-law of Confederate cavalry leader Jeb Stuart.

[edit] Biography

Son of an army officer, Cooke was born at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Educated first at Harvard, Cooke was directly commissioned into the United States Army in 1855 as a second lieutenant. When Virginia seceded from the Union, Cooke chose to follow his brother-in-law, Jeb Stuart, south. His father remained loyal to the north and the Union.

In April 1862, Cooke was elected colonel of the 27th North Carolina Infantry. Although, wounded at the Battle of Antietam, he was able to keep the field and was promoted to general on November 1, 1862.

Leading a brigade in action at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Cooke was badly wounded when a bullet entered over his left eye and fractured his skull. He was able to return to the field in April 1863. In October 1863, while commanding a brigade in A.P. Hill's corps, Cooke was again seriously wounded at Bristoe Station. His shinbone was shattered and he was knocked out of action for some time. He returned to duty in time to be again wounded at Spotsylvania. All in all, Cooke was wounded seven times during the Civil War.

When the War ended, Cooke went to Richmond, Virginia and became a merchant. He was an active member of the community and was one of the founders of the Confederate Soldiers Home in Richmond.

The family breach with his father -- who had stayed loyal to the Union -- was healed some time after the end of the War.