The Life of ROBERT FREDERICK HOKE
GENERAL ROBERT FREDERICK HOKE 1837-1912
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE’S HANDPICKED SUCCESSOR
PULLEN SECTION, LOT 3
Robert Frederick Hoke was born May 27, 1837, the son of Michael and Frances Burton Hoke of Lincoln County, North Carolina. Robert Hoke’s grandfather, John Hoke, built the first cotton mill erected south of the Potomac River which Michael Hoke and his father operated as the family’s enterprise.
Robert’s father died when he was seven years old and he was raised by his widowed mother. In 1853, Robert Frederick Hoke, while attending Kentucky Military Institute, was called home to attend to his mothers affairs and to takeover the management of the cotton mill.
Not only did Robert return home and manage the family’s cotton mill, but he founded the first cottonseed oil mill ever built in America. Robert was in the process of developing a large cottonseed oil industry when the Civil War erupted around him in 1861.
Robert Frederick Hoke was just 24 years of age when he enlisted as a Second Lieutenant in Company K, Thirty-third North Carolina Infantry, composed entirely of men from Lincoln County. Company K and Lt. Hoke fought under Colonel, later General, Daniel Harvey Hill at the battle of Big Bethel.
On September 3, 1861, Hoke was elected major of the Thirty-third North Carolina Infantry, and on March 4, 1862, his unit was part of the forces opposing Union General Burnside in which Hoke’s Commanding Officer, Colonel Avery was captured. Following Avery’s capture, Major Hoke was successful in extracting the Regiment and saving it from capture. Major Hoke was later elected Colonel for his actions against General Burnsides. When Colonel Avery was released from Federal prison and returned to the Thirty-third, Colonel Hoke was reassigned to the Twenty-first North Carolina Infantry as its Commanding Office.
On December 13, 1862, Colonel Robert F. Hoke, as part of General Gregg’s Brigade, commanded his new Regiment at the battle for Fredericksburg. Overwhelmed by the Federal forces, General Gregg was killed, and Colonel Hoke heroically fought back by reassembling the Brigade, and counter attacking. Colonel Hoke’s men quickly captured the Federal force which, only hours earlier, had overrun the Twenty-first’s original position.
Colonel Hoke’s valorous assault against almost overpowering numbers at Fredericksburg won him a promotion to Brigadier General and reassignment to the command of “Stonewall” Jackson. Under General Jackson, Robert F. Hoke was severely wounded in the shoulder at Chancerllorsville while on the front line, repelling the Union’s assault. Upon his recovery, General Hoke returned to full duty with Jackson.
General Robert F. Hoke, at age 27 was destined to become North Carolina’s most distinguished and decorated Civil War hero. His greatest victory came on April 20, 1864, when his command, in a brilliant move, recaptured the town of Plymouth, taking more than 3,000 Union troops captive, which was the entire Union force stationed at Plymouth. President Davis of the Confederacy telegraphed to General Hoke his promotion to the rank of Major General, this act being the only instance of a promotion made by President Davis on the battlefield. The Confederate Congress and the North Carolina Legislature also passed resolutions extending their thanks to General Hoke. Following his success at Plymouth, General Hoke recaptured Washington, North Carolina, crossed the Tar River at Greenville and the Trent River at Trenton en route to launch an assault on New Bern when he received orders to return to the defense of Richmond.
Arriving at Richmond in time to place his Brigade between Union General Butler and the Confederate Capital, General Hoke was successful, not only in repelling the Yankee assault on the city, but in bottling up 3,200 of General Butler’s men. So impressive was Hoke’s actions against the Union forces, that General Grant acknowledged General Hoke’s military brilliance. It is reported that General Robert E. Lee selected General Hoke to be his successor should anything happen to Lee’s ability to command.
Reassigned back to North Carolina, General Hoke was at Wilmington during the Union’s assault of that city and his last combat action was seen at Bentonville, where he distinguished himself in the final battle of the Civil War in North Carolina.
As Sherman’s army advanced toward Raleigh, Slocum’s forces came under sporadic attack in what Sherman determined to be delaying tactics by a relatively weak and ineffective Confederate force. In fact, a message from Slocum to Sherman indicated just that, and Sherman, fearing a major attack by General Johnston’s force closer to Raleigh, departed Slocum’s position, joining Kilpatrick’s troops who had continued to advance without resistance toward their main objective, Raleigh. Now with one of Sherman’s Corps (Slocum) stopped and engaged in “light” combat and the other element (Kilpatrick) continuing to move northward, an ever expanding separation of units was created between the two Union forces. General Johnson, along with General’s, Hoke, McLaw, Bragg and Hardee were waiting for just such an opportunity to exploit. The stage was now set for General Johnston to spring his attack.
What Slocum thought to be a small Confederate unit engaging his Army, was in fact, General Robert Frederick Hoke’s 18,000 man force poised to surround and destroy Slocum’s troops in a brilliant tactical maneuver. General Hoke, quick to capitalize on his advantage of surprise, turned Slocum’s western flank near Bentonville and began to envelope Slocum’s Corps.
At General Johnston’s encampment near Smithfield, General Braxton Bragg ill advised Johnston that General Hoke needed reinforcements (which he didn’t). Believing Bragg’s battlefield assessment and not wanting to lose General Hoke’s hard-won advantage, General Johnston committed his main blocking force, a division (McLaw), to assist Hoke. McLaw made it to General Hoke’s position unopposed just as Hoke’s men were beginning to route Slocum’s stunned and confused troops.
General Sherman, about 20 miles north of Slocum’s position with Kilpatrick, upon learning of Slocum’s difficulty, ordered General Kilpatrick’s force to turn and sweep to the Southwest to render assistance to Slocum. History tell;s us that now is when General Johnston should have used General McLaw as a blocking force. However, McLaw was already committed and with Hoke. Without a blocking force, General Johnston’s surprise and advantage was gone as was the Southern cause. General Bragg, whose poor field decisions lost other battles for the Confederates, once again had made a major mistake.
After considerable fighting at Bentonville, the Union forces prevailed and Bentonville became the last major battle of the Civil War
In Hoke’s last address to his men on May 1, 1865, he told them “You are paroled prisoners, not slaves. The love of liberty which led you into the contest burns as brightly in your heart as ever. Cherish it. Associate it with your history of the past. Transmit it to your children. Teach them the rights of freedom’s cause: teach them to maintain it. Teach them that the proudest day in all your proud careers was that on which you enlisted as Southern soldiers.”
After the war and with his business in ruins, he entered in the development of iron mines near Chapel Hill. On Governor Vance’s recommendation he was named a director of the North Carolina Car (Railroad) Company. In 1893, he was elected Chairman of the Board of the railroad. General Robert Frederick Hoke died in Raleigh, July 3, 1912.
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