The Irish standard., 1903-06-27

"''OooN a'd Dr. John McCook. and
''e numerous SONS were distinguished
us "llic tribe Of Dan" ana tho "triho
| OF John" There were ninn .o,s "a
i'ah'cl' all of whom, besides tho fo-
'f''r' served in the army or navy and
'lere were five sons of !Dlrn. ol1 NJ
"'l"in' including the father, served IN
the army ANA navy. All thc sons ov
cept one were commissioned of1icors
ana som" OF them rose to high r,nl,
illcy were. moreover. associotcd IN
business or in the army with tho
srea'eset men OF the day, so that the
story or the fighting McCooks is ona
OF unusual interest.
The McCooks were of Scotch dosoo,,+
ana George McCook. their potcrnol
ancestor in this country, was a rcfupea
from Ireland in 1850 on tho dofe,t or
the United 1risllmen. of which bo woo
prominent member. Flo sottlo1 y,
Canonsbnrg. Pa, where Daniel and
''ohii were born. Daniel married Mar.
'''' l@tlmcr, who was Scotch-Irish on
'hc maternal side, and on tho fotbor,a
s'dc English being descendants of the
'ahl'ly that produced Hugh Latimer
'he martyrs Of the English rcformo-
tio1,' who was burned at the stake in
oN1ord Oct. 1G 1868. The "tribo of
pah thus had an abundance Of fight
ing blood in its veins. The McCool,s
however were dcvout Prcsbyterians
ana as noted for moral as for physical
courage. George McCook hclped to
establish jefferson college, where his
TWO sons were educated, Daniel he.
coming a lawyer and John n nhv-
Scian.
Three of Daniels sons, Latimcr A..
George Wythc and John James. were
born in Pennsylvania. the remaining
SIN sons in Ohio, to which both Daniel
and John had removed soon oftor
reaching manhood. Daniel was 63
years of age in 1861, but he ncvertbe-
less applied for an obtained a COM
mission as major from President
Lincoln ana was with his son, Charles
Morris. at the battle of Bull Run.
where the latter was killed. He had
retired from the service in 1863. when
Morgan made his famous raid through
ohlIo but he could not resist the de-
sire to avrngc the death Of one Of
his sons who had been killed by the
band of gucrrilas and he Joined n
band of cavalry in pursuit of Morgan.
Ihc latter and his followers were dis
pcrscd at what was known as the
battle of Burlington island. The cas-
unltics were few, but among the killed
was Major Daniel McCook.
The story Of the services of his sons
can best be told in the order of their
seniority, although some of the young
cr sons attained greater distinction
than their elders. Latimer A. Nc.
Cook, the eldest son, was physician,
born in 1920. He was surgeon, with
the rank of major. with the Thirty
first Illinois volunteers during the
greater part of the civil war dying Aug.
%, 1869, from the rcsult'of injuries re.
ccivcd during Grants Vicksburg cam
| pafgn and exposure incident to Sher-
| mans march to the sea.
The second son, George Wythe Nc
| Cook. was a lawyer, and for time
the partner of Edwin Nj. Stanton, who
subsequently became secretary of war
under President Lincoln. He was a
democrat served as attorney general
of Ohio from 1S54-56 and became demo-
cratic candidate for governor Of the
state in 1871 There was much con-
fusion in Ohio. rs in other states, i'm
mediately after the first call for
troops. Enlistments We're numerous
and the inexperienced state officials
did not know what to do with the men.
The soldiers who first arrived at Co.
lumbus were quartered at hotels; then
the state contracted to have them fed
at so cents day. Two regiments
were organized in as many days and
started for Washington without arms
or equipment. The government sent