The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-01-13

Book-Entered the Conted-
crate Service a Little Above
the Position of Private, and
Returned Home at the Close
of the War a Major-General
Editor J. 2. Cook, in The UpIift, Concord.
Robert Frederick Hoke is North
Cardinals most distinguished sol.
dier. He was born in Lincoln county
Mty 9th, 1887. Tie first of his
name to come to America was a
Lutheran minister, who settled in
York, Pennsylvania. From that
place came a widow with several
sons, who settled i'll Lincoln county;
this was before the Revolution. One
OF these sons was named John, the
grandfather of the subject of this
sketch, and he with q neighbor built
The first cotton mill in the South. 1t
Is said that this cotton mill was sue
cessfully operated until the civil war.
The father OF our subject was Mich
ael Hoke. He was IA scholar, all ora
tor and stood high among the lead
ers OF the State. In 1914, at the age
OF 81, he was chosen as the Demo
cratic candidate for governor to
make the race against the Whig can
didate, William A. Graham. In this
remarkable campaign the Wing ma
lOrlty Was reduced from $4,000 to
about 1000 The strain of tie cam
paign, however, cost HOke his health,
and within q month after the election
he died.
Robert Frederick Hoke was then
seven years of age. After prepara
tory course in LincolntOn, young
HOke attended the Kentucky Mill
tary academy, conducted by gradu
ates of West Point. The subject ol
our sketch left the institution before
graduation, and returned home at
the age of seventeen to take charge
of his mothers business. He was
connected with the manufacture OF
cotton, paper, iron and of linseed
oil until the war began in 1861.
Robert Frederick Hoke was "a
years old when he Joined the South
ern Stars, which went out from Lin
coin county and which was Company
X of the Bethel Regiment. He was
second lieutenant. In january, 1862
he became lieutenant colonel; in Aug.
ust of the same year he Was commits
stoned Hs full colonel. In 1864, for
an important achievement in North
4 Nn Drnnilop+ 10 tol, IoJ
him his promotion to majOr-general
the only time a promotion was
made in this manner during the en-
tire war
There is q whole book in the bril-
liant war record of Gen. Hoke, but it
not our purpose even to attempt ar
enumeration of the important en-.
gagements in which he appeared
Suffice it to say that he entered the
Confederate service a little above the
position of a private, and that he re
turned home at the close of the wal
major-general. | have been tolC
by several old soldiers, high up in 6
knowledge of the war and it's history
that there is no doubt if anything
had happened to General Lee to rem
der him incapable that General HOkt
would have succeeded Lee" Genera
Hoke's parting words to his sol
diers at the close of the war are fint
words-splendid sentiment OF a brave
officer to brave men. In a later mum
Der The Uplift will reproduce thai
speech.
know him as a man, and not {
living soul since his return from tht
war has ever seen him wearing a uni
form or sporting d sword. Genera
HOke has not made a speech in tht
limelight since the war In the cOun
ellis of the business organizations tC
which he has contributed his wisdom
he makes clear-cut statements thai
60 right to the spot as much as any
speech could possibly do. He will ii
down with a few friends and upon re
quest tell you of a war incident ol
about a certain battle or experiences
but in all these ne emphasizes what
my soldiers did," leaving himsel
out. This is greatness. | have hearC
him tell these stories Of the war pos
sibly on a score of OccasiOns-it al
ways occurred at nigha when he haC
nothing else to do. He is a charming
cOnversationalist, and he tells story
of a brilliant dash, a bloody strug
gle, glorious battle or a sOrrOwfu
defeat with a clearneSs, with q ligh
and action so perfect that you fee
the atmosphere, almost, in which th'
event occurred.
General Hoke did his level best dur
ing the war, and in the light OF colo
observation and Judgment fOrty-fiv'
years removed it is record as bril-
liant as the most brilliant. Whel
the Confederate forces surrendered
and returned to their wasted farms
he accepted the result as final. Ii
quit fighting Yankees for good
and began fighting the problems O
life, the difficulties confronting thu
South and the obstacles to the devel
opment of the land b. loves with JUS
as much ardOr a. if he wore the Con
fedrrate uniform increasingly.
1t is said that General Hoke ha
never attended reunion, local, Stat
or the general organization. He ha
been too busy. He has a lovin!
memory of the boys in gray, bu
General Hoke simply had enough @
war, aud at the surrender he wa
"done for good"
After the war, General Hok
ploughed his war horse some. Fl
washed for gold" some in the mour
tains of North Carolina. Genera
Hoke, measured by a commerce.