Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-10

glance, courteously saiuted ana said, "Pardon
me, General Cooke. / thought yCu wore too
badly wounded. Allow me 10 20 In ss one OF
your aids
"You can go as one Of my aids, bnt you cam
not lead my men while am here" retoined Cen
eral Cooke as he nung himself into tho saddle,
placed himself at the head Of his brigade and
gave the order 70 advance. "Then followed
said a member OF A. p. Hills stan, who wit
messed tho movement, "one Of tho most magni-
1cent spectacles ever seen In war"
GENERAL LEES OPINION.
Nooffcer I'm the Confederate army bors more
enyiable reputation :han General Cooke for
prompt obedience TO orders, skill In handling bis
men, splendid daah In the charge, or heroic,
patient stubborn courage g N the dslence len 90.
command is best Illustrated In gentle rebuko
the great Confederate chieftain administered 70
his sturdy brigadier on the lines In front Of Rich
mond. General Cooke was In bis tent suffering
from his wounds and facial neuralgfe when
General Lee rode up, called him out, and. eeked
whether tho breastworkg had been changed as
directed by the engineers
"No,p replied General Cooke impaiieutly, and
do not believe they ever viii be-"
General Lee moved on, followed BY his stan
and General Cooke. An inspection OF the line
and work ali along II was proercssIng satsfacto-
rily. Several times during the ride General Lee
remarked TO the thoroughly confused Brigadier,
"This seems TO be completed" and finally when
Cookies men had Been assigned had been reached
turned with quiet smile and said: "I think,
General, IL win be finished al night. II not. II
will be the FIRST timo that Cooke and his North
Carolinians failed 10 do their duty"
BUSINESS IN KIcHxoxD.
At the close Of the war General Cooke entered
mercantile life in Richmond and succeeded In
establishing q large family grocery buelnosa
,i, S,.i,,a, s-ip,e,,,S s,,s. ~ hi,,,
esty giving him q strength With tho people that
few men possessed. He served several years as
a member Of tho City Democratic Committee
and on sns Board Of Directors q me Cns%Se,
Of the Board OF Directors Of the State -pepi-
tentialy, president Of tho Granite Build
ing Fund Company, and vestryman
manders Of Lee Camp, Confederate Veterans,
and acted as chief Of sfa0 upon the occasion OF
the laying Of the cornerstone Of the Lee monu-
ment October "a, 1887, and also at the monu-
ment unveilrng on the 10Th Of May, $780, WheD-
ever demand was made by his iellow-dtisens
upon his time or talents he met II cheeffully,
counting no sacrifice he could mako too great.
General Cookies whole appearance was that OF
the soldier born and indicative Of determination,
yet he was gentle, genial, and sympathetic-a
constant witness to the truth that
" The bravest are tho tenderest,
The loving are the daring"
In his church he was jealous worker; In the
private circle charming companion, and his
life abounded In charity Of word, thought, and
deed. His espousal OF the Confederate cause
estranged him from his parents, TO whom he was
deyotediy attached, but about nve years ago .
complete reconciliation took place, and his
death win provo terrible blow 70 the aged
father and mother, who are living In Detroit but
were too feeble TO come to his bedside.
General Cooke married Miss Mamie u. Patton,
OF Fredericksburg, who, with eight children, sur
wives him. His sister married General j. X. b.
Stuart, the great Confederate cavalry leader.
When the war closed General Cooke wss acting
division commander for tho second time during
the struggle, and In that position he exhibited
the same capacity for keeping his men well In
hand and inspiring them with confidence that
no had shown while In charge Of smaller bodies
OF troops. He dared lead anywhere. and the az
ample Of bis splendid courage was such that
men dared follow without question