July 22, 1834 – July 17, 1864
Daniel McCook was a member of the “Fighting McCooks,” fifteen family members who served the Union during the American Civil War.
Daniel McCook, Jr., was born at Carrollton, Ohio, on July 22, 1834. He was the sixth son of Daniel McCook and Martha Latimer (McCook). McCook graduated from LaGrange College at Leighton, Alabama in 1857. Afterwards, he studied law with future Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in the law office of Stanton & McCook at Steubenville, Ohio. Upon being admitted to the bar, McCook relocated to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he joined the partnership of Ewings, Sherman & McCook with future Union generals Hugh Boyle Ewing, Thomas Ewing, Jr., and William T. Sherman. While there, he married Julia Tebbs of Platte County, Missouri in December 1860.
When the American Civil War began, McCook was a captain in a local militia company, the Shield Greys, which became part of the 1st Kansas Infantry on June 3, 1861. That summer, he fell ill with pneumonia and missed the Battle of Wilson’s Creek (August 10, 1861). After that battle, McCook’s brother, Brigadier General Alexander McCook, secured an appointment for Daniel as adjutant general on his staff with the 1st Division of the Army of the Ohio. In that capacity, McCook participated in the Battle of Shiloh (April 6 and 7, 1862).
In May 1862, Ohio Governor David Tod requested that McCook come to Columbus to undertake recruiting for the formation of the 52nd Ohio Infantry. On July 15, 1862 McCook was appointed as colonel of the new regiment, and in August, the unit moved to Kentucky to participate in the Confederate Heartland Offensive. McCook’s regiment saw limited action in the Battle of Perryville (October 8, 1862). In January 1863, McCook’s regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. They performed various garrison and escort duties until August when they departed for Alabama. McCook led his brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863) and afterwards during the Knoxville Campaign (November and December 1863).
Serving as a brigade commander under his former law partner, Sherman, McCook, was severely wounded while leading his brigade against Confederate works at the “Dead Angle” during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (June 27, 1864). He was subsequently transported to Steubenville, Ohio. On July 16, McCook learned that he had been promoted to brigadier general for his valiant service at Kennesaw Mountain. He died from his wounds the next day, July 17, 1864. McCook was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
McCook was a member of the “Fighting McCooks,” fifteen family members who served the Union during the Civil War. McCook’s father, Daniel McCook, and his eight sons who served in the war were known as the “Tribe of Dan.” McCook’s uncle, John McCook, and five of his sons who served in the war were known as the “Tribe of John.” Daniel McCook, along with three of his sons (Latimer, Robert, and Charles), in addition to Daniel, Jr., died from wounds received during the Civil War.