Cooke, SIR EYRE

Cooke, SIR EYRE, soldier, born in County Limerick in 1726, entered the army at an early age, and from 1754 to 1762 served in India. It was by his arguments that Clive was induced to risk the battle of Plassey, and for his services in this and other engagements, Cooke was in 1759 given the command of the newly-raised 84th regiment. In 1760 he defeated Lally-Tollendal (q.v.) at Wandiwash; and his capture of Pondicherry in 1761 completed the downfall of the French in India. Cooke returned to England, and was knighted in 1771. In 1779 he assumed the command-in-chief in India, with the rank of lieutenant-general, and in 1781 he routed Hyder Ali at Porto Novo; his victory here, with the successes that followed, a second time saving the presidency. He died at Madras, 26th April 1783.