Col. Philip St. George Cooke

Philip St. George Cooke, born June 13, 1809, and died March 20, 1895, was an impartial friend, humanitarian, and soldier dedicated to the West who remained unequivocally loyal to the Union. He commanded the Mormon Battalion on most of its historic march, which contributed to bringing western America under the Stars & Stripes. Cooke helped establish Camp Floyd in 1858 and served from August 1860 to July 1861 as commanding officer of the Military Dept. of Utah, earning the respect and gratitude of the Mormon people. When many persons defected to the South, including Sec. of War John B. Floyd and General Albert Sidney Johnston, he changed the name of the post to Fort Crittenden. On Feb. 6, 1861, Cooke received orders via Pony Express in May 1861 to abandon the fort and return the remnants of Johnston's Army to Fort Leavenworth. Assigned to the defense of the nation's capitol, he was given the rank of Brigadier General.

Fairfield, Utah · United States