Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/63

 UNDER THE CONFEDERACY

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ginia, formerly the Mcrriniac. This inven- tion was duly recognized by one of the first letters patent issued by the Confederate States government. In 1863 Capt. Brooke was made chief of ordnance and hydrog- raphy. Among his innovations, introduced by experiments with a thirteen-inch Blak- ley gun, was placing the firing charge wholly in front of the chamber, lessening the initial tension of the gasses. This met with some ridicule, but Capt. Brooke suc- cessfully demonstrated his theory, and it came to be adopted by the navies of the world, to the overthrow of a former error, and acceptance of the "air-space" as one of the most important improvements in the use of ordnance. The name of Capt. Brooke is famous for the beforementioned achieve- ments — the deep-sea sounding apparatus, the submerged ship-bow, and the air-space in artillery. Immediately after the war, Capt. Brooke was called to a professorship in the Virginia Military Institute at Lex- ington — a position which he adorned until incapacitated by age and infirmities, and he was retired as professor emeritus. He mar- ried (first) Mary Elizabeth Garnett, (sec- ond) Kate Corbin Pendleton.

Chilton, Robert Hall, son of William and Sarah Powell Chilton, of Westmoreland county, Virginia, born about 1816; gradu- ated from United States Military Academy, 1837; was second lieutenant of First Dra- goons, he served on frontier duty, and was promoted to first lieutenant ; served in Mexican war, promoted to captain, and bre- vetted major for gallantry at Buena Vista. He subsequently served in the pay depart- ment until 1861, when he resigned and en- tered the Confederate service as lieutenant- viR— 4

colonel in the adjutant-general's depart- ment, and was promoted to colonel. He was called to the staiT of Gen. R. E. Lee as chief-of-stafif, Army of Northern Virginia. Promoted to brigadier-general, he served nntil April i, 1864, when he resigned. He made his home in Columbus, Georgia, v.'here he died February 18, 1879.

Cocke, Philip St. George, born in Surry county, Virginia, in 1808, son of Gen. Jonn Hartwell Cocke. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1832, and as second lieutenant of artillery was stationed at Charleston, South Carolina. In 1834 he resigned, and lived as a planter in Virginia and Mississippi, wrote agricul- tural essays, and for some years was presi- dent of the Virginia State Agricultural Society. He was prominent in Virginia councils in April, 1861, and was appointed brigadier-general in the state service, and given a command on the Potomac river. In May he recruited a large force. As colo- nel he commanded a brigade under Beaure- gard, and also served at Blackburn's Ford. He rendered efficient service at the stone bridge at Manassas. He was promoted to brigadier-general, but returned home, shat- tered in body and mind, and died December 26, 1 86 1.

Colston, Raleigh Edward, born in Paris, France, October 31, 1825, son of Raleigh Edward Colston and Elizabeth (Marshall) Colston, his wife ; his grandmother was sis- ter of Chief Justice John Marshall. He came to the United States when seventeen years old. He graduated in 1846 from the Virginia Military Institute, and was a pro- fessor there until April, 1861, when he marched to Richmond in command of the