James W. Cooke.

James W. Cooke.

Birth: Aug. 23, 1812, Beaufort, Carteret County, North Carolina.
Death: Jun. 21, 1869, Portsmouth, Portsmouth City, Virginia.

James Wallace Cooke was born to Thomas and Esther (Wallace) Cooke in Beaufort, NC on Aug. 23 1812. His father, a successful merchant, was lost at sea in a hurricane off the banks of NC in Sept. 1815. James was orphaned the following year when his mother died of consumption. James and his younger sister were taken in by their father's brother, Henry Marchant Cooke, also of Beaufort, NC. Henry Cooke, the Customs collector at the port of Beaufort, got his nephew James an appointment to the US Naval Academy at age 15. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in the US Navy but resigned his commission to join the Confederate Navy. The high point of his career was his involvement with the construction of the RAM Ironclad, CSS Abermarle. He was the ironclad's first captain and he played a successful role in the battles of Plymouth and Abermarle Sound. He was North Carolina's highest ranking officer in the Confederate Navy. He died on June 21, 1869 in Portsmouth, Va.

Parents: Thomas Cooke (1787 - 1815)
Esther Mihetable Wallace Cooke (1795 - 1816)

Burial: Cedar Grove Cemetery, Portsmouth, Portsmouth City, Virginia. Cooke, James W.

Born in North Carolina. Appointed from North Carolina. Resigned as lientenant, U. S. Navy, July 2, 1861. Served in Virginia Navy till transfer. Lieutenant, C. S. Navy, June 11, 1861. Commander, July 15, 1862. Captain Provisional Navy, June 10, 1864. "Promoted for gallant and meritorious conduct in command of the ironclad steam sloop Albemarle on the 19th, 20th, and 2l8t of April, 1864, in attacking the enemy's ships and l)atteries, and in cooperation with the army in the capture of the town of Plymouth, N. C., and in the action of the 5th of May, 1864, between the sloop Albemarle, under his command, and nine of the enemy's gunboats in Albemarle Sound." Naval batteries, Aquia Creek, Potomac River, 1861. Ordered to command C. S. S. Edwards, October 3, 1861. Commanding C. S. S. FMis, 1861-62; battle of Roanoke Island, N. C, February 7-8, 1862; wounded; captured; paroled February 12, 1862. Commanding C. S. S. Albemarle in the Confederate attack upon Plymouth, N. C, April 19, 1864. Commanding inland waters of North Carolina, 1864.