A Guide to the Papers of John Esten Cooke, 1810-1893
A Collection in
Barrett Miscellaneous Collections
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 5295-h
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Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library
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USA
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Special Collections Department
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
Preferred Citation
Papers of John Esten Cooke, Accession #5295-h, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Acquisition Information
This collection was deposited on 1949 January 3.
Scope and Content Information
The papers contain the autograph manuscripts for "Disraeli," "To make raisins," table of contents for The Man Hunter, "The Winter March to Romney" (from The Life of Stonewall Jackson ), title page of The Wearing of the Grey , "Une description de noces," "The Scout," "A Dead Master, G.W.B.," "The Broken Mug," "Deal Gently With the Erring," "O, I'm a Good Old Rebel," "So My Summer's Over," and "A Southern Scene."
Ten letters, mostly to Cooke, chiefly discuss his writings, particularly "Days and Nights in the Shenandoah," Hilt to Hilt, Life of Stonewall Jackson, "My Friend the Colonel," "Pride of Falling Waters," "Stories of the Old Dominion," and Surry of Eagle's Nest ; the Civil War, especially Stonewall Jackson, the battlefields of Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Gaines's Mill, Petersburg, and Richmond, and Stuart's grave; and Southern writers.
They also include a letter from a military volunteer criticizing Cooke's article "Outlines from the Outpost," published in Southern Illustrated News and a letter from Stephen Cooke to John Rogers Cooke about responsibilities of marriage.
An engraving of Cooke and an example of his calligraphy are also present.
The correspondents include John Rogers Cooke, Stephen Cooke, Joseph A. Hill, Fitzhugh Lee, Benjamin Watkins Leigh, Jr., William Meade, Isaac Moorhead, William Thomas Poague, and S. Rohman.
Contents List
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"Une description de noces" by Sallie Goodrich 1858AmsS, 3 p. on 2 l.
A French composition written at William D. du Powell's School (Richmond Female Seminary), which describes a fictional marriage of Mary Francis Page to John Esten Cooke. This ms. is glued to a leaf of heavy paper together with an ALS, Stephen Cooke to John Rogers Cooke, 1810 January 21. In addition the following are glued to the leaf of heavy paper: a partial clipping of an advertisement for Our Artist by G. W. Carleton, and a scrap of paper with signature of Annie Wise Hobson (daughter of Gov. Henry Alexander Wise).
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"The Winter March to Romney" 1863AM, 5 p. on 5 l.
A chapter from The Life of Stonewall Jackson . The pages are numbered 267 and 299 through 302. Col. N. N. Wallack of Star Radio Co., Washington, D.C., who brought this ms. from Robert Page Cooke (son of John Esten Cooke) dates the ms. 1863.
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"The Scout" 1864?AM, 2 p. on 2 l.
The date, 1864, below the title of this poem is scratched out. The 2 l. are numbered 68 and 69.
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The Wearing of the Gray 1867AMS, 1 p.
Title page, which includes a quotation by Henry Alexander Wise.
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The Man Hunter 1869AM, 4 p. on 2 l.
Table of Contents
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"To Make Raisins" [this fall] 1880 MayAM, 2 p. on 1 l.
Detailed description for making raisins at home written on verso of p. 572 of an unidentified John Esten Cook manuscript.
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Poem: "A Dead Master, G. W. B." 1883AM, 2 p. on 1 l.
Eulogy to George William Bagby.
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Poem: "The Broken Mug" n.d.AM, 8 p. on 8 l.
An ode on a late melancholy accident. Pages of ms. are numbered 47 through 54.
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"Disraeli" n.d.AMS, 26 p. on 26 l.
A biographical sketch of Benjamin Disraeli. Pages are numbered 1 through 28, but pages 20 and 21 were deleted by John Esten Cooke.
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Poem: "Deal Gently with the Erring" n.d.AM, 2 p. on 1 l.
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Poem: "O, I'm a good Old Rebel" n.d.AM, 2 p. on 1 l.
At the end of the poem are the initials, I.R.
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Poem: "So, My Summer's Over" n.d.AMS, 2 p. on 1 l.
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Poem: "A Southern Scene" n.d.AM, 2 p. on 1 l.
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Stephen Cooke to John Rogers Cooke 1810 Jan 21ALS, 1 p.
Expresses his approval of John's recent engagement and counsels him regarding financial responsibilities for marriage. This letter is glued to verso of paper containing AmsS 1858.
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Benjamin Watkins Leigh, Jr. to J.E.C. 1858 Mar 19ALS, 2 p. on 1 l.
Encloses an article which he wrote. Mentions that his wife and son will be in Virginia during the summer and wishes J.E.C. to see them. Rejoices in J.E.C.'s fame and success, and describes his own goals in life. Asks to be remembered to Wickham, William Henry Lyons, Lewis Webb, William Harvie, and J.E.C.'s brother George. A pencil notation in the margin states that Benjamin Watkins Leigh, Jr. wrote the appendix in Stonewall Jackson by J.E.C.
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J.E.C. to William Thomas Poague 1863 Jan 12ALS, 2 p. on 1 l.
States that General J.E.B. Stuart requests that Poague send Stephen Dandridge to his headquarters to see his father. Request is approved by Stonewall Jackson. This letter is glued on a piece of heavy pink paper; on verso are glued clippings from letters bearing the following autographs: B.W. Leigh; James Christie Esten; Stephen Cooke.
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A volunteer to Editors of Southern Illustrated News 1863 Feb 3ALS, 1 p.
This letter is written from Camp Gagg in an illiterate style criticizing an article by J.E.C. entitled "Outlines from the Outpost" published in Southern Illustrated News .
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Fitzhugh Lee to J.E.C. Dec 10ALS, 1 p.
States that he is sending a document and asks Cooke to put him on the highest pinnacle of history so that when he has young ones they can read about their father's achievements. Letter is written on an official form of the Head Quarters 2nd Division Cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia.
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Isaac Moorhead to J.E.C. 1868 May 13ALS, 4 p. on 2 l.
Thanks Cooke for the gratification he received from reading Stonewall Jackson, Surry of Eagle's Nest, Hilt to Hilt , "Days and Nights in the Shenandoah," and "My Friend the Colonel." Describes his visits to the battlefields at Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Gaines's Mill, Petersburg, Richmond, to Stuart's grave, and the spot where Stonewall Jackson fell. Mentions his talk with Mrs. Chancellor and his disappointment that Melzi Chancellor was not at home. Discusses information concerning Chancellorsville which he obtained from a colonel of a Georgia regiment while he was a prisoner at Johnson's Island (Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie), and from General O.O. Howard.
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S. Rohman to J.E.C. 1869 Mar 25ALS, 1 p.
States that the bundle and business card do not belong to him and is returning the card to Cooke.
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Joseph A. Hill to J.E.C. 1879 Oct 1ALS, 4 p. on 2 l.
Expresses his gratitude for the enjoyment received from reading Stories of the Old Dominion . Discusses "Pride of Falling Waters" published in Field and Fireside , virtues of southern women, and his son's admiration of J.E.C. Mentions Paul Hamilton Hayne, William Gilmore Simms, and Edgar Allan Poe.
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William Meade to J.E.C. n.d.ALS, 1 p.
Last portion of a letter in which Meade says he is unable to examine the text at present since he is leaving for a confirmation in Winchester, and then will go to Alexandria and the seminary. Mentiones he knew J.E.C.'s mother.
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Autograph of J.E.C. with address. Example of J.E.C.'s calligraphy. 13 cm x 7 cm n.d.Autograph
Engraving clipped from magazine and photostatic copy with negative of the clipping. On the back of the clipping are advertisements of the following books: Slosson, Annie Trumbell, The Heresy of Mehetabel Clark, Seven Dreamers ; Hibbard, George A., Iduna and Other Stories ; and Hepworth, George H., Starboard and Part.