by Ann Westbrook
Growing up in College Station, I always knew about the Coke Administration Building on the Texas A&M University campus and bit about Coke’s hand in establishing the then Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. While not much is known about the early life of Richard Coke, he was born to John and Eliza (Hankins) Coke on March 18, 1829 near Williamsburg, Virginia. He was the nephew of Richard Coke, Jr., who was a U.S. Representative from Virginia.
In 1843, Coke entered William and Mary College to study law and earned a diploma in civil law in July 1848. By 1850, Coke had moved to Waco and begin practicing law. He took on both civil and criminal cases and had a well-earned reputation as one of the best lawyers in town. In 1852, he had the honor of marrying Miss Mary Evans Horne, also of Waco. Although they had four children—two daughters and two sons—the girls died in infancy and the boys passed before the age of thirty.
By the 1860s, Coke’s career and reputation were well known throughout the state. Coke was a delegate to the 1861 Secession Convention in Austin and voted for the secession of Texas from the United States. Texas, of course, eventually joined the Confederate States of America. Coke, like many men during this time, joined the Confederate Army. His initial rank was that of private, but soon earned the rank of Captain. By 1862, Coke along with some of Waco’s most influential men worked to establish the 15th Texas Infantry. Besides Coke and Speight, this group also included Rufus C. Burleson, then president of Baylor University, George Bernard Erath, a former surveyor and Texas Revolution veteran, and James Edward Harrison, who, like Coke, was a delegate to the Secession Convention and appointed by Governor Edward Clark to establish treaties with nearby Native American tribes such as the Choctaw and Creek since he was fluent in their languages. Coke recruited men from both McLennan and Bosque counties to bring together 109 men to form Company K of the 15th Texas Infantry, which was under the command of Colonel Joseph Warren Speight.
During the war in the summer of 1863, Captain Richard Coke along with Captain Joshua L. Halbert represented the 15th Texas Infantry when a general court was convened by the Confederates near Vermilionville, Louisiana (present-day Lafayette). The purpose of the court was to try offenders south of the Red River. Captain Halbert wrote his wife about the trials stating that there were all class of offenders from Lieutenant Colonels to Privates for various offenses. Due to the illness of the judge advocate, the court’s progress was slow and Halbert and Coke spent their time together as their host, Monsieur Bodreau, only spoke French and they enjoyed listening to two young ladies play the piano.
By Fall of 1863, Coke and Halbert had rejoined the 15th Texas Infantry. By October 30, the 15th Texas detached from the brigade they were assigned to and ordered to move south toward Washington, Louisiana to join Walker’s Texas Division. They passed through Washington on November 2 and camped at Opelousas. The following day, November 3, the 275 officers and enlisted men of the 15th Texas found themselves temporarily assigned to Walker’s division and placed under the command of Colonel Oran M. Roberts of the 11th Texas Infantry. With an overall total of 950 Confederate soldiers, they were preparing to attack Union forces at Bayou Bourbeau. The 15th Texas Infantry was the only group that had any battle experience.
Company A and F of the 15th Texas were ordered to serve as the Confederate skirmish line and moved along the bayou. The thick underbrush caused them to lose their formation and they fell behind one another and eventually doubling up behind those that were ahead.
Union Brigadier General Stephen Gano Burbridge had anticipated the Confederate cavalry to continue their skirmishes from the day before, but by late morning it appeared that was not to be the case. The 83rd Ohio left camp to forge for food and same from the 67th Indiana and 23rd Wisconsin were either receiving pay or preparing lunches. The Union troops seemed unconcerned with distant sounds of gunfire. After a brief respite, at around 11 a.m., Roberts replaced his skirmishers and ordered his infantrymen to make a final push toward the Union camp. As they made their way toward the camp, the Confederates were met with heavy gunfire from the Union pickets. The Union officers only expected skirmishes and were shocked to hear musket and rifle fire coming from the woods. With a hearty rebel yell the Texas troops rushed through the woods toward the enemy lines with the order to “run right over them and give them Hell.” The Union troops quickly realized what was happening and rushed to rejoin their units. The 60th Indiana, 96th Ohio, and the 23rd Wisconsin in the path of the rapidly advancing 15th Texas. The Texans were met with a horrific volley. Although the 96th Ohio tried to hold its position, the 60th Indiana fell back through the Ohio troops, confusing and frightening them. The men of the 15th Texas took advantage of the situation and fought the Union troops until Colonel Arthur P. Bagby’s cavalry came down on their flank and drove the Union troops out, capturing their cannons and taking prisoners. Victory for the 15th Texas was short-lived as they had to fight the Union cavalry’s attack, but it was soon repulsed, and they fled from the battle leaving the Confederates with a firm victory. Although the 15th Texas suffered wounded and loss of life, from Company K, Coke suffered a wound to the chest and Private Peter Alonzo had his trigger finger shot off.
After the War Between the States ended in 1865, Coke returned home to Waco resumed his involvement in politics and law. He was appointed as the 19th Judicial District judge by Governor A. J. Hamilton, who despite their political differences, admired Coke’s integrity. In 1866, Coke was elected as an associate justice to the Texas Supreme Court, but was removed in 1867 by military commander, Philip Sheridan. In 1873, Coke was the Democratic nominee for the office of Governor and despite a bitter and violent election, he soundly defeated Governor Edmund J. Davis, the Republican candidate, by a vote of 85,549 to 42,663. Davis tried to remain Governor by resisting to leave the office and an attempt by the Texas Supreme Court to nullify the election. Davis also sought aid from President Ulysses S. Grant, who refused to help. Although Coke’s inauguration as the 15th Texas Governor took place on January 15, 1874, he did not move into the office until
Davis formally resigned on January 19.
As governor, Coke attempted to restore financial order to the state, but costs of securing the border with Mexico and western frontier battles with the Comanches and Kiowa took their toll on the budget. Coke was physically threatened when he vetoed a bill for a subsidy to the International-Great Northern Railroad. He was burdened with everything from job applications to pleas for pardons to reward money to aid in the capture of criminals. The Constitution of 1876 was adopted under Coke’s term and he served on a three-member board that supervised a new, decentralized system of public education. Although the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now known as Texas A&M University, was established in 1871, Coke and the board are credited with finally opening the College on October 4, 1876 with six professors and by the end of the first
school year 106 students. Under the new Constitution, Coke appointed the justices to the Texas Supreme Court, such as Oran Roberts, whom he had fought with at the Battle of Bayou Bourbeau and George F. Moore, who was Chief Justice when they were both fired by Philip Sheridan.
During the establishment and negotiation of the Constitution of 1876, Coke ran for and won a seat in the United State Senate. He resigned as Governor in December 1876 to take his seat in Washington, D.C. He won reelection in 1882 and 1888 serving in the 45th-53rd Congresses until March 3, 1895. He was not a candidate in the 1894 election.
Coke returned to Waco, retiring from public service to enjoy his home and nearby farm. In April 1897, the Brazos River flooded, and Coke suffered from the exposure while trying to care for his farm. He became very ill and eventually passed away after three weeks at his Waco home on May 14. He was given a state funeral and laid to rest in the historic Oakwood Cemetery. He is one of three governors buried there—the others being Lawrence Sullivan Ross and Patrick Morris Neff.
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