Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)

How are you related to Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)?

Connect to the World Family Tree to find out

Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)'s Geni Profile

Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love

  • Build your family tree online
  • Share photos and videos
  • Smart Matching™ technology
  • Free!

Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Carrollton, Carroll County, Ohio, United States
Death: July 17, 1864 (29)
Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, United States (died of wounds received in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain)
Place of Burial: 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, 45232, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of Major Daniel McCook, Sr. (USA) and Martha McCook
Husband of Julia Tibbs McCook
Brother of Major Latimer Abraham McCook, MD (USA); Brigadier General George Wythe McCook, (USA); John James McCook; Brigadier General Robert Latimer McCook, (USA); Major General Alexander McDowell McCook, (USA) and 6 others

Managed by: Private User
Last Updated:

About Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)

Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)

General McCook 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

McCook was born in Carrollton, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1858, then returned home to studied law in Steubenville, Ohio. He passed his bar exam and moved to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he formed a partnership with Generals William T. Sherman, Hugh Boyle Ewing, and Thomas Ewing, Jr.. The men closed their law office when the Civil War began, and all four would serve as generals in the Union Army.

Civil War

McCook was captain of a local company of militia, which became part of the 1st Kansas Infantry. When the 1st Kansas marched into Missouri and the Battle of Wilson's Creek, McCook was taken ill with pneumonia and missed the battle where the 1st Kansas suffered over 50% casualties and saw the death of Brig. General Nathaniel Lyon. Subsequently, McCook was named as chief of staff of the 1st Division of the Army of the Ohio in the Battle of Shiloh. He became colonel of the 52nd Ohio Infantry on July 15, 1862, and commanded a brigade under his old law partner Sherman in the Army of the Cumberland.

He was selected by Sherman to lead the assault on Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864, and took his brigade directly up to the Confederate works. Just before the attack, he calmly recited to his men the stanza from Thomas Macaulay's poem of "Horatius" beginning "Then how may man die better than facing fearful odds?" He had reached the top of the enemy's works, and was encouraging his men to follow him, when he was mortally wounded by a rifle shot to his right lung. For the courage that he displayed in this assault, he was promoted to the full rank of brigadier general, to date from July 16, 1864. He was appointed a brevet major general effective on the day he died, but the appointment was not confirmed by the Senate.

He is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

view all

Brigadier General Daniel McCook, Jr. (USA)'s Timeline

1834
July 22, 1834
Carrollton, Carroll County, Ohio, United States
1864
July 17, 1864
Age 29
Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, United States
????
Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, 45232, United States