Commodore James Wallace Cooke

Commodore James Wallace Cooke. , Commodore Cooke was born in 1812 and at the age of 16 he was appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy. In 1834, after completing his midshipman examinations. he rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He served with honor in that capacity until the beginning of he War Between the States., When the Southern States seceded Captain Cooke resigned his position in the United States Navy and entered into the Confederate States Navy. By his activity and bravery he soon rose to the rank of Commander and before the close of the war to that of Commodore., He rendered valuable and distinguished service while in command of the CSS Albemarle, both during her construction in a field near Edwards Ferry, North Carolina, and in her initial engagements. The ship was commissioned on April 17, 1864 and 2 days later participated in an attack on Plymouth, NC where she rammed and sank the Union gunboat Southfield and forced the Miami, Ceres and Whitehead to withdraw. The following day Plymouth surrendered to Confederate forces. His achievements with the Albemarle are one of the brightest pages of Southern naval history., After the close of the war he returned to Portsmouth where he died in 1869. Commodore Cooke is the highest ranking military officer buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery.