Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-15

gallant gentleman OF the Army, whose ca
reer from 6rst to las, has been highly honor
able to himself, aud we'll calculated to eI
bauce the slory Of the State which gave him
birth. We sllude, OF course, to the lndi'Id-
ual whose name heads this article, and 70
whom we thus refer, first, because his distln-
guished merit fairly enti,les bin To this dis
tinction, and, secondly, because he Is but il!-
tie known to the people Of Virginia; TO
whom, however, his fame and fortunes ought
u be OF peculiar concernment. For, We
bold that every noble son of the State ro'
fleets honor upon the State, by each and
every notable and worthy performance, add
that in some sort his fame is the common
heritage Of the people.
IL has SO CHANGED that Col. Cooke has bean
kept, for u period Of thirty years, III active
and arduous service, but all the time upon
our Western frontier; and while In that re-
zion his name is as familiar as household
words, to US in Virginia it is comparatively
unknown. Though son of the soil, he IS Il
stranger. liz ought not so to be, and We DE-
sire to do what We can to bring our readers
to better acquaintance with one whom they
will admire tue more as tbey kaoT hlm Del
ter. Brave, generous, gifted as command
ant, prompt to obey, patient in endurance,
and always and everywhere the quiet, mod
est gentleman, Col. Cooke has won all the
laure!s which he wears by the force OF un-
mistakable merit, while men more lmpudent
and schemiug but far less mertorious, have
become much more widely known to the PEG.
pie of the country.
We are sorry that We have not the data 10
maze such q notice OF Col. Cookies cODnec'
ton with the army service Cf the country as
We would wish; but in the absence OF such
information, We have determined to place
before our readers an article which sOmc
time since appeared 10 the columns of liar
per's Weekly. IL but feebly presents the
facts Of Col Cookies life, but it is the best
information which we have ut hand, aud, 10
sufficient as it il, will nevertheless acquaint
many Of our readers with facts Of which
they are ignorant :-Rich. South.
Col. Cooke was born 10 Berkeley County,
Virginia, in ls09--the youngest Of many
brothers who have been eminent 10 the South
and West Among these we may mention
John r. Cooke, a gentleman OF much DIS
,inction at the Virginia bar; ard DR.. John
E,ten Cooke, formerly President Of Transyl'
vania University. COL Cooke, from early
boybocd, louged to lead the lie of a soldier,
bat wes opposed by his parents. Al four.
teen, attempting to fight duel with one oi
his companions, his parents yieded to bis
p.ociivities, AID he soon entered West Point.
lie graduated III 1927; at the age Of egh-
teen, and entered the army with the rack Vi
third or fourth lieutenant. Oooa a!tefTaGd,
10 lieutenant of lniautry-shcrgh scarcely
more than boy--he conducted. ubdcr elf
cumstances OF extraordinary hardship and
trial, toiy of two hundred men some SIX
| hundred miles up the Missouri; and also
! took part in an expedition to Santa Fe, meet
! ing aud overcoming band OF hostile 10.
diane. He was afterwards engaged in the
Black Hawk war and was at the battle Of
I Broad Axe.
"As Msjor of Secord Dragons be served
! in CilitCrnia and 10 the Mexican War, aud
| conducted the Mormon Brigade across the
continent to San Francisco His reports Of
the route which be followed in these marches
were published by the War Department, and
will be found full of interes'. Many per.
soos believe tina. the only practicable line
| for the Pacific Railroad is that laid down on
the maps as Colonel Cookies route In
1854, be was commandsnt Of one OF the
great departments of New Mexico. AT tbls
time, be fought the battle Of Cineguilas, de-
festiDg the Camanches and other savages,
with considerable blocdshed From this dis
;ant post be soon afterwards passed to kan-
sas, " hich was then convused. lie was de-
puted to carry into effect the orders OF Gov
ernmcat; and this critical task was fulfill, d
with great prudence, trmness, and dlscre-
too. His GOODNESS ard decision upon this
trying occasion undoubtedly prevented the
occurrence OF terrible sceoes, and both par.
ties fully recognised the propricty OF bis
course.
when the Utah expedition was determine
ed upon, Col. Cooke was n once fixed upon
to lead portion of the trocps. TO bis d.
tschmeDt was intrusted the safe corduct OF
Governor Cumming and other civil dignlta-
rIes. OF the wild ard strarge incidents 0!
the march OF the army to Utah we need not
peak The journals of the Day have ctron
ced toe details, and they bave been unlger-
sally read. We doubt il the country ut
large, however, has realized, 10 any ade-
quate degree, the perlls anu hard-bips OF ihc
onward advance of our brave troops, through
UllDulDS SNOW ONeE lut uitah huu
bare wastes of the great plains. Colonel
Cookies horses ard mules persisted by the
hundred for want of fodder; the stores for
the men were necessarily abandoned; still,
in spite of every thing, they pushed on, and
overcame all the tcrrors Of the storm and the
descr'.
ave have bu, little to add in relation to
Col. Cooke. His fortune has been to take
part in few OF those decisive encounters
upon a conspicuous theatre of action which
alone attract strongly the public attentiOr.
lie has borne the heat OF the day. instead
Of catching by chance those bright reward
which ever and anon fall TO the lot Of hol!
d2y soldiers. For thirty years be has been
In harness, guarding the frontier against
willy and untiring foe; and as be has pei
formed faithfully bis duty, be has not missed
his reward. lie is a. this moment one Ct
the best known and most popular officers in
the army throughout all the great Western
ter of States. The cit gems Of these States
are fully aware Of his services, and justly
bold him in high favor and esteem. He has
WOO this honorable distinction by never u, d.
ding at his pOsr, bur watching with sleepiess
vigilance over the regions he has been post.
ed to defend. COL Cooke is thorough |
trained scldier--a man TO be relied on that
Is the origin OF his popularity aud distinc
ton"
FAIRBANKS THEsE Scales AZ. NOW regard,
4 Il