Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/762

720 committee of seven that drafted that instrument. He possessed a vigorous and penetrating mind, and has been called " the model of lofty courtesy, chivalry, and generosity." — His brother, Philip St. George, soldier, b. near Leesburg, Va., 13 June, 1809 ; d. in Detroit Mich., 20 March, 1895. He entered the U. S. military academy, where he was graduated in 1827, and was assigned to the Gth infantry. He was stationed for many years on the frontier, and in the Black Hawk war was adjutant of his regiment at the battle of Bad Axe River, 2 Aug., 1832. He became first lieu- tenant in the 1st dragoons on 4 March, 1833, and captain on 31 May, 1835. He escorted a party of Santa Fe traders to the Arkansas river in 1843, and on 30 June of that year captured a Texan military expedition. During the Mexican war he commanded a Missouri volunteer battalion in Cali- fornia from 1846 till 1847, and in 1848 a regiment in the city of Mexico, having been promoted to major on 16 Feb., 1847, and brevetted lieutenant- colonel on 20 Feb., for his conduct in California. Afterward he was engaged in various Indian expe- ditions, commanding the cavalry in the action at Blue Water, 3 Sept., 1855. He commanded in Kan- sas during the troubles there in 1856-'7, perform- ing that delicate duty to the satisfaction of all, and was at the head of the cavalry in the Utah expedition of l857-'8, becoming colonel of the 2d dragoons on 14 June, 1858. In 1859 he prepared a new system of cavalry tactics, which was adopt- ed for the service in November, 1861 (revised ed., 1883). In June, 1861, Col. Cooke published a let- ter in which he declared that he owed allegiance to the general government rather than to his na- tive state of Virginia. He was promoted to briga- dier-general on 12 Nov., 1861, and commanded all the regular cavalry in the Army of the Potomac during the peninsular campaign, particularly in the siege of Yorktown, and the battles of Williamsburg, Gaines's Mills, and Glendale. He sat on courts-mar- tial in 1862-'3, commanded the Baton Rouge dis- trict till 1864, and till 1866 was general superin- tendent of the recruiting service. He was at the head of the Department of the Platte in 1866-'7, of that of the Cumberland in 1869-70, and of the Department of the Lakes from 1870 till 1873. On 29 Oct., 1873, he was placed on the retired list, having been in active service more than forty-five years. Gen. Cooke published " Scenes and Ad- ventures in the Army" (Philadelphia, 1856), and " The Conquest of New Mexico and California ; an Historical and Personal Narrative" (1878). His daughter married Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, the Con- federate cavalry leader. — John Rogers's son, Philip Pendleton, poet, b. in Martinsburg, Va., 26 Oct., 1816; d. 20 Jan., 1850, was graduated at Princeton in 1834, and studied law with his father. Before he was of age he had begun practice. He had little partiality for his profession, and devoted himself to literature and to field sports, of which he was very fond. Before his death he was famous as the greatest huntsman in the Shenandoah valley. He published several poems in the "Knickerbocker magazine " at an early period, and became a con- tributor to the " Southern Literary Messenger " on its establishment. Mr. Cooke was stately and im- pressive in manner, and a brilliant talker. His only publication in book-form was " Froissart Bal- lads, and other Poems" (Philadelphia, 1847). At the time of his death he was publishing serially a romance entitled " Chevalier Merlin." His short lyrics, " Florence Vane," " To My Daughter Lily," and " Rosa Lee," were very popular. The first named has been translated into many languages, and has been set to music by celebrated composers. Among his tales are " Johrt Carpe," " The Crime of Andrew Blair," and " The Gregories of Hackwood." — Another son, John Esten, author, b. in Winches- ter, Va., 3 Nov., 1830; d. near Boyce, Clarke co., Va., 27 Sept., 1886, left school at sixteen, studied law with his father, and, after practising about four years, devoted himself to literature. He en- tered the Confederate army at the beginning of the civil war, and served first as a private in the artillery and afterward in the cavalry, being en- gaged in nearly all the battles in Virginia, most of the time as a member of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's staff. At Lee's surrender he was inspector-general of the horse-artillery of the Army of Northern Vir- ginia. His writings relate almost entirely to Vir- ginia, and describe the life, manners, and history of the people of that state. His war -books are records of personal observation and opinion. In a letter written a few months before his death Mr. Cooke says : " I still write stories for such periodi- cals as are inclined to accept romance, but whether any more of my work in that field will appear in book-form is uncertain. Mr. Howells and the other realists have crowded me out of popular regard as a novelist, and have brought the kind of fiction I write into general disfavor. I do not complain of that, for they are right. They see. as I do, that fiction should faithfully reflect life, and they obey the law, while I can not. I was born too soon, and am now too old to learn my trade anew. But in literature, as in everything else, advance should still has no right to complain if he is left behind. Besides, the fires of ambition are burned out of me, and I am serenely happy. My wheat-fields are green as I look out from the porch of the Briers, the corn rustles in the wind, and the great trees give me shade upon the lawn. My three children are growing up in such nurture and admonition as their race has always deemed fit, and I am not only content, but very happy, and much too lazy to entertain any other feeling toward my victors than one of warm friendship and sincere approval." His publications include "Leather Stocking and Silk," a story (New York, 1854) ; " The Virginia Comedians " (2 vols., 1854) ; " The Youth of Jefferson," based on the letters of that statesman (1854) ; " Ellie," a novel (Richmond, Va., 1855) ; " The Last of the Forest- ers " (New York, 1856) ; " Henry St. John, Gentle- man ; a Tale of 1774-'5," sequel to the " Come- dians " (1859); " Life of Stonewall Jackson " (Richmond, 1863 ; enlarged ed.. New York, 1876) ; "Surry of Eagle's Nest," a picture of military in- cidents in the Confederate cavalry, in auto-bio- graphical form, purporting to be " from MS. of Col. Surry " (New York, 1866) ; " Wearing of the Gray " (1867) ; " Mohun, or the Last Days of Lee and his Paladins," sequel to the foregoing (1868) ;