Brigadier General Philip St. George Cocke, P.A.C.S.
Brigadier General Philip St. George Cocke was born in Virginia in the year
1808. He was educated at the United States military academy, and
graduated in 1832 with the rank of brevet second lieutenant, and was soon
assigned as second lieutenant to the artillery then stationed at Charleston,
S.C. He served here during the exciting years of 1832-33, becoming
adjutant of the Second artillery, July 13, 1833. On April 1, 1834, he
resigned and from that time until the outbreak of the Confederate war lived
the life of a planter in Virginia and Mississippi. He devoted his energies and
talents to agricultural pursuits, published a book on Plantation and Farm
Instruction, in 1852, and from 1853 to 1856 was president of the
Virginia State agricultural society. He was prominent in Virginia councils
during the momentous month of April, 1861, and on April 21st, having been
appointed brigadier-general in the State service, he was assigned to
command of the important frontier military district along the Potomac river.
Three days later, from his headquarters at Alexandria, he reported to
General Lee, stating that he had but 300 men in sight of an enemy of
10,000 rapidly increasing. Lee commended the policy Cocke had pursued
and advised him to make know that he was not there for attack, but that
an invasion of Virginia would be considered an act of war. Cocke made his
headquarters at Culpeper, April 27th, and on May 5th Alexandria was
evacuated. He was given charge of the mustering of volunteer troops in a
large part of the State, with rendezvous at Leesburg, Warrenton, Culpeper,
Charlottesburg [sic] and Lynchburg, and he issued a proclamation urging
rapid enlistment in defense of the State, not for aggression. In the
Confederate States service he was given the rank of colonel, and in the
army of Beauregard was assigned to command of the Fifth brigade,
consisting of the Eighth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-eighth and Forty-
ninth Virginia regiments. For ability shown in strategic movements at
Blackburn's ford he was officially thanked by Beauregard. On July 20th he
was stationed at Ball's ford, on Bull run, and in the Confederate
preparations for the battle of the 21st, he was given command also of
Evans' brigade and various unassigned companies, including cavalry and
artillery. The contemplated advance which he was to make against
Centreville was abandoned on account of the Federal flank movement, and
while Evans, reinforced by Bee and Bartow, opposed the enemy in that
quarter, he sustained the attack in the vicinity of the stone bridge, with his
headquarters at the Lewis house, until at 2 p.m., about an hour before the
arrival of Elzey, he led his brigade into action on the left with "alacrity and
effect." This was his last battle. After eight months' service, during which
he was promoted to brigadier-general in the provisional army, he returned
home, shattered in body and mind, and his life was terminated December
26, 1861 [by suicide.]
Source: Evans, Clement, Confederate Military History, Volume
III, Confederate Publishing Company, Atlanta, GA, 1899.
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