John Esten Cooke
Encyclopedia
John Esten Cooke was an American
novelist and poet. He was the brother of poet Philip Pendleton Cooke
.
, he was noted for writing about that state
. He illustrated Virginia life and history in the novels, The Virginia Comedians (1854), and The Wearing of the Gray, a tale of the American Civil War
, and more formally in a respected Virginia history. His style was somewhat high-flown. He was the author of The Youth of Jefferson.
Cooke was one of 13 children of John Rogers Cooke and Maria Pendleton Cooke. He was born on the family's plantation
, "Amber's Hill," near Winchester, Virginia
, in the Shenandoah Valley
. At his father’s urging, he studied and practiced law briefly in Richmond
. He abandoned that in 1854 after his father’s death, and almost immediately became a successful novelist and prolific short story writer, eventually authoring 31 books and almost 200 published articles and poems. Cooke joined the Richmond Howitzers, a militia
artillery
unit, in the 1850s, earning the rank of sergeant.
J.E.B. Stuart
in the Confederate
cavalry
. Cooke was a first cousin of General Stuart's wife, Flora Cooke Stuart. On May 19, 1862, he was formally commissioned as a lieutenant
and officially joined Stuart's staff. Cooke participated in the Peninsula Campaign
and Stuart's subsequent ride around the Union
army of George B. McClellan
, later writing a detailed description of the action. During the war, he served Stuart as an aide, ordnance officer, and assistant adjutant general
, earning the rank of captain. Following Stuart's death at Yellow Tavern in May 1864, Cooke served on other generals' staffs, eventually rising to the rank of major
by the end of the war. In 1863, he wrote the first of several popular biographies of Stonewall Jackson
. He also published a novel on Jackson, Surry of Eagle's Nest (1866) as well as a biography of Robert E. Lee
, officers that he had personally known.
, to become a prosperous farmer and gardener. He had three children. He died of typhoid fever
at his home, "The Briars." Cooke was buried in Old Chapel Cemetery in Millwood, Virginia
.
The "John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction" is presented annually to the author of the best historical novel dealing with the South.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist and poet. He was the brother of poet Philip Pendleton Cooke
Philip Pendleton Cooke
Philip Pendleton Cooke was an American lawyer and minor poet from Virginia. He was the brother of John Esten Cooke.-Biography:...
.
Early life
Born in Winchester, VirginiaWinchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, he was noted for writing about that state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. He illustrated Virginia life and history in the novels, The Virginia Comedians (1854), and The Wearing of the Gray, a tale of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and more formally in a respected Virginia history. His style was somewhat high-flown. He was the author of The Youth of Jefferson.
Cooke was one of 13 children of John Rogers Cooke and Maria Pendleton Cooke. He was born on the family's plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
, "Amber's Hill," near Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. At his father’s urging, he studied and practiced law briefly in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. He abandoned that in 1854 after his father’s death, and almost immediately became a successful novelist and prolific short story writer, eventually authoring 31 books and almost 200 published articles and poems. Cooke joined the Richmond Howitzers, a militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
unit, in the 1850s, earning the rank of sergeant.
Civil War
In March and April 1862, Cooke served as an unpaid volunteer aide for Maj. Gen.Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
in the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Cooke was a first cousin of General Stuart's wife, Flora Cooke Stuart. On May 19, 1862, he was formally commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and officially joined Stuart's staff. Cooke participated in the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
and Stuart's subsequent ride around the Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
army of George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, later writing a detailed description of the action. During the war, he served Stuart as an aide, ordnance officer, and assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
, earning the rank of captain. Following Stuart's death at Yellow Tavern in May 1864, Cooke served on other generals' staffs, eventually rising to the rank of major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
by the end of the war. In 1863, he wrote the first of several popular biographies of Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
. He also published a novel on Jackson, Surry of Eagle's Nest (1866) as well as a biography of Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, officers that he had personally known.
Postbellum career
In 1867, Cooke married Frances Page and settled down three miles north of Boyce, VirginiaBoyce, Virginia
Boyce is a town in Clarke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 426 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Boyce is located at ....
, to become a prosperous farmer and gardener. He had three children. He died of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
at his home, "The Briars." Cooke was buried in Old Chapel Cemetery in Millwood, Virginia
Millwood, Virginia
Millwood is an unincorporated town located in Clarke County, Virginia, USA. Millwood is the home of many of Clarke County's most historic sites including the Burwell-Morgan Mill , Carter Hall , the Greenway Historic District, Long Branch plantation , Old Chapel , and the River House.-Google Earth...
.
The "John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction" is presented annually to the author of the best historical novel dealing with the South.