{⋆★⋆} BG Cocke, Philip St. George

Philip St. George Cocke​

Born: April 17, 1809

Birth Place: Bremo Bluff, Fluvanna County, Virginia

Father: Brig. General John Hartwell Cocke 1780 – 1866

Mother: Anne Blaus Barraud 1785 – 1816

Wife: Elizabeth Courtney Bowdoin 1815 – 1872
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)

Children:

Lt. John Bowdoin Cocke 1836 – 1889​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Louisiana Barraud Cocke Kennon 1838 – 1914​

(Buried: Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, Northampton Coounty, North Carolina)​

​

Sarah Browne "Sallie" Cocke Wilson 1840 – 1909​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Lucy Cary Cocke Bridges 1842 – 1915​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Philip St. George Cocke 1844 – 1913​

(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

William Ruffin Coleman Cocke 1846 – 1884​

(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

Charles Hartwell Cocke 1851 – 1896​

(Buried: Friendship Cemetery, Columbus, Mississippi)​

​

Mary Augusta Cocke 1852 – 1902​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Ann Blaws Cocke 1857 – 1857​

(Buried: Cocke Cemetery, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

Courtney Bowdoin Cocke Barraud 1848 -​

​

Helen Hansford Cocke 1855 – 1877​

Education:

1828: Graduated from University of Virginia​

​

1832: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (6th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1832: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

​

1832 – 1834: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

​

1834: Resigned from United States Army on April 1st​​

​

Successful Agriculturist in Bremo Bluff, Virginia​

​

1853 – 1856: President of Virginia State Agricultural Society​

​

Helped organize the Powhatan troop of Virginia State Militia​

Civil War Career:

1861: Brigadier General of the Commonwealth of Virginia​

​

1861: Colonel of Confederate States Army Forces​

​

1861: Participated in the first battle of Bull Run​

​

1861: Promoted to Brigadier General of Confederate Provisional Army​

Died: December 26, 1861

Place of Death: Bremo Bay, Powhatan County, Virginia

Cause of Death: Suicide (shot to the temple)

Age at time of Death: 52 years old

Burial Place: Hollywood Cemetery Richmond, Virginia

 

[Grant's Tomb]

Seems like he had battle fatigue

 

[jackt62]

Interesting that his name was very similar to that of Philip St. George Cooke, the Union general who was JEB Stuart's father-in-law.

 

[Pete Longstreet]

I may get some push back on this... but it's how I feel. So this guy owns over 600 slaves, 27k acres of land, and is very wealthy. Who knows the amount of damage he did during his years as a plantation and slave owner... but I'm sure a few lives were absolutely destroyed out of the 600 slaves he owned. He gets demoted upon entering the Confederate army and feels he did not receive the praise by his superiors as he believed he should. Although he is eventually promoted, he still remains upset... so he shoots himself. Maybe before he pulled the trigger he thought about his slaves and how inhumane slavery was. Probably not though... he was just upset about his pride being wounded. If what I read about him is factually true... I don't feel bad for him.

 

[Pollaco]

Much has been said in a biography of Cocke about the Alexandria Line and that he even had command of the "Alexandria Line" until superseded by General Bonham. What exactly was this Alexandria Line?

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Philip St. George Cocke! Remembering General Cocke on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

At the battle of Bull Run he not only commanded his own brigade but that of Col.Nathan Evans as well. Evans had what was called a "demi-brigade". He ( Cocke) was not promoted to brigadier in the CS army until Oct.21, 1861.

 

[Pollaco]

On the death of Cocke the command should have been handed down to John Strange but he was sick in a hospital. So the 19th Virginia was handed over to Col. Armistead Rust.Rust was soon given home leave so command was temporally handed down to a Captain James Mallory.The 19th, soon after Cockes death, was brigaded with the 8th, 18th, and the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiments and placed under the command of Gen. George Pickett.

 

[nc native]

In a history of the 18th Virginia by James I. Robertson I have the suggestion is made that Phillip St. George Cocke was driven to commit suicide due to personal problems and advancing age. What this means exactly is unknown to me but it sounds like health issues and depression probably led to his decision to end his life. His brigade performed well at 1st Manassas with the 18th Virginia
capturing a Union battery of rifled guns and turning them against the enemy as they tried to cross the bridge that spanned Bull Run.
Another regiment he commanded, the 8th Virginia, played a major role in the Union defeat at Ball's Bluff in October 1861.

 

[NedBaldwin]

Interesting that his name was very similar to that of Philip St. George Cooke, the Union general who was JEB Stuart's father-in-law.

Were they related (the two Phil StG Cookes)?

 

[NedBaldwin]

Were they related (the two Phil StG Cookes)?

Never-yea-mind , just realized one is Cooke and the other is Cocke

 

[Paul Yancey]

https://emergingcivilwar.com/2019/0...-of-brigadier-general-philip-st-george-cocke/

Interesting article about Cocke,

 

[Pollaco]

I highly suggest reading that link provided by Paul Yancey. It's chock full of interesting details.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Brig. General Philip St. George Cocke! Salutes remembering General Cocke on his birthday.

 

[CavRTO]

Philip St. George Cocke​

Born: April 17, 1809View attachment 353568

Birth Place: Bremo Bluff, Fluvanna County, Virginia

Father: Brig. General John Hartwell Cocke 1780 – 1866

Mother: Anne Blaus Barraud 1785 – 1816

Wife: Elizabeth Courtney Bowdoin 1815 – 1872
(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)

Children:

Lt. John Bowdoin Cocke 1836 – 1889​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Louisiana Barraud Cocke Kennon 1838 – 1914​

(Buried: Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, Northampton Coounty, North Carolina)​

​

Sarah Browne "Sallie" Cocke Wilson 1840 – 1909​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Lucy Cary Cocke Bridges 1842 – 1915​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Philip St. George Cocke 1844 – 1913​

(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

William Ruffin Coleman Cocke 1846 – 1884​

(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

Charles Hartwell Cocke 1851 – 1896​

(Buried: Friendship Cemetery, Columbus, Mississippi)​

​

Mary Augusta Cocke 1852 – 1902​

(Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

​

Ann Blaws Cocke 1857 – 1857​

(Buried: Cocke Cemetery, Bremo Bluff, Virginia)​

​

Courtney Bowdoin Cocke Barraud 1848 -​

​

Helen Hansford Cocke 1855 – 1877​

Education:

1828: Graduated from University of Virginia​

​

1832: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (6th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1832: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

​

1832 – 1834: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

​

1834: Resigned from United States Army on April 1st​​

​

Successful Agriculturist in Bremo Bluff, Virginia​

​

1853 – 1856: President of Virginia State Agricultural Society​

​

Helped organize the Powhatan troop of Virginia State Militia​

Civil War Career:View attachment 353569

1861: Brigadier General of the Commonwealth of Virginia​

​

1861: Colonel of Confederate States Army Forces​

​

1861: Participated in the first battle of Bull Run​

​

1861: Promoted to Brigadier General of Confederate Provisional Army​

Died: December 26, 1861

Place of Death: Bremo Bay, Powhatan County, Virginia

Cause of Death: Suicide (shot to the temple)

Age at time of Death: 52 years old

Burial Place: Hollywood Cemetery Richmond, Virginia

Having trouble wrapping my head around him possibly committing suicide so early in the war. There can be several reasons if he did indeed commit suicide. But also in my mind I can't help but think that he just wasn't cut out to be a soldier. Given that he owned so many slaves and so much property he probably lived a very sheltered life unused to his own personal hardship. That combined with having feeling slighted doesn't bode well for a leader.

 

[Pollaco]

Only 5 others from his rather large (45) West Point class of 1832 became Civil war generals.

 

[lupaglupa]

He's distantly kin to me. His father, John Hartwell Cocke, has a fascinating story. He was a part of the Liberia movement.

 

[Sheltowee]

Random thoughts-

For a man of such wealth to have such a mediocre headstone is odd to me. Perhaps related to stigma associated with suicide?

Thought it odd that a graduate of UVA would then seek a USMA education. But then I see his father was a general. Is that possibly what we see here? An insecure man striving to gain fatherly approval? The final straw- being bypassed for promotion.

Sorry- Dr. Phil had today off.