Fighting McCooks
Encyclopedia
The Fighting McCooks were members of a family of Ohio
ans who reached prominence as officers in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. Two brothers, Daniel and John McCook, and thirteen of their sons were actively involved in the army, making the family one of the most prolific in American military history. Six of the McCooks reached the rank of brigadier general
or higher. Several family members were killed in action or died from their wounds. Following the war, several others reached high political offices, including governorships and diplomatic posts.
, attorney, had moved to eastern Ohio in 1826, settling in Carrollton
. His younger brother John also soon moved to the Buckeye State. Their clans would become affectionately known as the "Tribe of Dan" and the "Tribe of John." Yet another brother, Dr. George McCook, and his son Dr. George McCook, Jr. served as unpaid surgeons during the Civil War, the latter serving under George B. McClellan
during the Peninsula Campaign
. Their father, another George McCook, had emigrated from Scotland
to Pennsylvania and had fought in the Whiskey Rebellion
.
"Tribe of Dan"
"Tribe of John"
Daniel McCook's house
in Carrollton, Ohio, is preserved as a museum. McCook Field
, a former air station near Dayton, Ohio
(1917–1927), was named in honor of the Fighting McCooks. A granite memorial to Daniel McCook, Jr. is at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, and a marker to his father is located on State Route 124, near Buffington Island in the Ohio River
.
A number of the McCooks, as well as wives and children, are interred in Spring Grove Cemetery
in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
ans who reached prominence as officers in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Two brothers, Daniel and John McCook, and thirteen of their sons were actively involved in the army, making the family one of the most prolific in American military history. Six of the McCooks reached the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
or higher. Several family members were killed in action or died from their wounds. Following the war, several others reached high political offices, including governorships and diplomatic posts.
The family
Daniel McCook, a Canonsburg, PennsylvaniaCanonsburg, Pennsylvania
Canonsburg is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802....
, attorney, had moved to eastern Ohio in 1826, settling in Carrollton
Carrollton, Ohio
Carrollton is a village in Carroll County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County.Carrollton is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. His younger brother John also soon moved to the Buckeye State. Their clans would become affectionately known as the "Tribe of Dan" and the "Tribe of John." Yet another brother, Dr. George McCook, and his son Dr. George McCook, Jr. served as unpaid surgeons during the Civil War, the latter serving under George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
during the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
. Their father, another George McCook, had emigrated from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to Pennsylvania and had fought in the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
.
"Tribe of Dan"
- Daniel McCookDaniel McCookDaniel McCook was an attorney and an officer in the Union army during the American Civil War. He was one of two Ohio brothers who, along with 13 of their sons, became widely known as the “Fighting McCooks” for their contributions to the war effort.-Biography:McCook was born in Canonsburg,...
(1798–1863), MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
, killed in action at the Battle of Buffington IslandBattle of Buffington IslandThe Battle of Buffington Island, also known as the St. Georges Creek Skirmish, was an American Civil War engagement in Meigs County, Ohio, and Jackson County, West Virginia, on July 19, 1863, during Morgan's Raid. The largest battle in Ohio during the war, Buffington Island contributed to the...
during Morgan's RaidMorgan's RaidMorgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen...
- Dr. Latimer A. McCookLatimer A. McCookLatimer A. McCook, a physician and eldest son of Daniel and Martha McCook, was born at Canonsburg, Pa., Apr. 26, 1820. After graduation from Jefferson College, he studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. George McCook, and received his degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia...
(1820–1869), Major, 31st Illinois Infantry, wounded at VicksburgBattle of VicksburgThe Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
and again during Sherman's March to the SeaSherman's March to the SeaSherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
; died of complications from his wounds and exposure following the war - George Wythe McCookGeorge Wythe McCookGeorge Wythe McCook was a lawyer, politician, and soldier from the state of Ohio in the United States. He was the Ohio Attorney General and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
(1821–1877), Lt. ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, 2nd Ohio Infantry2nd Ohio InfantryThe 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Three-months regiment:...
; ColonelColonel (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, 157th Ohio Infantry157th Ohio InfantryThe 157th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 157th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio and mustered in May 15, 1864 for 100 days service under the command of Colonel George Wythe McCook.The regiment...
; Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
and candidate for Governor of Ohio - Robert Latimer McCookRobert Latimer McCookRobert Latimer McCook was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War who was killed by Confederate partisans in Alabama.-Birth and early years:...
(1827–1862), Brigadier General, killed by one of John Hunt MorganJohn Hunt MorganJohn Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
's cavalrymen near Salem, AlabamaSalem, AlabamaSalem is an unincorporated community east-centrally located in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It lies along U.S. Highway 280 between Opelika and Phenix City. It is part of the Auburn Metropolitan Area.- History :...
, as he laid in an ambulance after a previous injury. - Alexander McDowell McCookAlexander McDowell McCookAlexander McDowell McCook was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
(1831–1903), Major GeneralMajor general (United States)In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
; commanded XX Corps - Daniel McCook, Jr.Daniel McCook, Jr.Daniel McCook, Jr. , one of the famed Fighting McCooks, was a brigade commander in the Union Army who was mortally wounded in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
(1834–1864), Brigadier General, killed in action at Kennesaw MountainBattle of Kennesaw MountainThe Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E... - Edwin Stanton McCookEdwin Stanton McCookEdwin Stanton McCook was a Union Army general during the American Civil War and a postbellum politician in the Dakota Territory. He was assassinated in office while serving as acting governor.-Biography:...
(1837–1873), BrevetBrevet (military)In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Major General and Governor of the Dakota TerritoryDakota TerritoryThe Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
, assassinatedAssassinationTo carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
in office - Charles Morris McCook, (1843–1861), PrivatePrivate (rank)A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, 2nd Ohio Infantry, killed in action at the First Battle of Bull RunFirst Battle of Bull RunFirst Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
; died in his father's arms. He had declined an offer of a LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
's commission in the regular army and is buried in Spring Grove CemeterySpring Grove CemeterySpring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
, Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. - John James McCook (lawyer)John James McCook (lawyer)John James McCook was an American corporate attorney, business director, and soldier, serving as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He was the youngest member of the famed "Fighting McCooks", a prominent Ohio military family which contributed fifteen members to the war...
(1845–1911), Colonel, prominent postbellum New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
attorney and railroad executive - (Another son, J. James McCook (1823–1842), had died near Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, while serving in the United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
)
- Dr. Latimer A. McCook
"Tribe of John"
- Dr. John James McCookJohn James McCookJohn James McCook , was a patriarch of the Fighting McCooks, one of the most prolific families in United States Army history. Five of his sons became prominent soldiers, chaplains, or sailors, as well as eight of his nephews....
(1806–1865), volunteer surgeon during the Civil War- Edward Moody McCook (1833–1909), Major General and Governor of the Colorado TerritoryColorado TerritoryThe Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado....
- Anson George McCook (b. 1835–1917), Brevet Brigadier General and postbellum politician
- Roderick McCook (1839–1886), Commander, first Naval officer to capture a ConfederateConfederate States ArmyThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
regimentRegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel... - Henry Christopher McCookHenry Christopher McCookHenry Christopher McCook was an American Presbyterian clergyman, naturalist, and prolific author on religion, history, and nature. He was a member of the celebrated Fighting McCooks, a family of Ohio military officers and volunteers during the American Civil War.-Biography:McCook was born in New...
(1837–1911), Lieutenant, Presbyterian Chaplain; tended to the wounded and often joined in the fighting - John James McCook (professor)John James McCook (professor)John James McCook, Jr. was a chaplain in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and postbellum lawyer, professor, and theologian. He was a member of the Fighting McCooks, a family of Ohioans who contributed 15 members to the Union army.-Biography:McCook was born in New Lisbon, Ohio. He...
(b. 1843), Lieutenant, Presbyterian Chaplain, seriously wounded in Northern VirginiaNorthern VirginiaNorthern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
and left the service
- Edward Moody McCook (1833–1909), Major General and Governor of the Colorado Territory
Daniel McCook's house
Daniel McCook House
The Daniel McCook House is a historic antebellum house in Carrollton, Ohio, that was home to several of the "Fighting McCooks", who rose to fame during the American Civil War...
in Carrollton, Ohio, is preserved as a museum. McCook Field
McCook Field
McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917-1927...
, a former air station near Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
(1917–1927), was named in honor of the Fighting McCooks. A granite memorial to Daniel McCook, Jr. is at the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, and a marker to his father is located on State Route 124, near Buffington Island in the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
A number of the McCooks, as well as wives and children, are interred in Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.