Edward Cooke (Royal Navy officer)

Edward Cooke
Born	14 April 1772 Harefield, Middlesex
Died	25 May 1799 Calcutta, British India
Allegiance	Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	?–1799
Rank	Post Captain
Battles/wars	French Revolutionary Wars • Siege of Toulon • Raid on Manila • Action of 28 February 1799

Captain Edward Cooke, (14 April 1772 – 25 May 1799) was a Royal Navy officer of the late eighteenth century who was best known for his service during the French Revolutionary Wars. Cooke gained notoriety in the first year of the war as a junior officer when he was entrusted with the surrender negotiations of the French port city of Toulon, Cooke's success under threat of execution led to the British occupation of the city and the ensuing Siege of Toulon. Cooke was promoted for the successful negotiations and given command of the large captured French frigate HMS Sybille in the Indian Ocean in 1798 he led a successful bloodless raid on the port of Manila in the Spanish Philippines and the following year tracked down and engaged the powerful French raiding frigate Forte off the mouth of the Hooghly River at the Action of 28 February 1799. In the ensuing battle Forte was captured but Cooke was struck by grape shot resulting in a lingering death from his wounds. He eventually died in Calcutta on 25 May and was buried with full military honours.

Cooke was born in April 1772 to Colonel George and Penelope Cooke of Harefield, Middlesex. His brothers George Cooke and Henry Frederick Cooke were both later prominent army officers, as was his stepfather Edward Smith. He joined the Royal Navy at a young age and in 1790 was promoted to lieutenant, joining HMS Victory in 1793 for Mediterranean service under Lord Hood during the French Revolutionary Wars. In August 1793, Hood was approached by representatives of the French Royalist faction offering to surrender the powerful naval port city of Toulon in exchange for protection. Cooke was already familiar with the port and was selected as the British delegation to the authorities, entering the port surreptitiously as the approaches were patrolled by Republican supporters from the fleet at anchor. Cooke came under fire during his entry to the port and was under threat of execution, but successfully negotiated the complete surrender of the city and fleet to Lord Hood.

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