John James Mc Cook (lawyer) - Early Years

Early Years

John J. McCook was born in Carrollton, Ohio, to family patriarch Daniel McCook. He was named for his uncle, John James McCook. He enrolled in Kenyon College, but left school after completing his freshman year to enlist as a private in the 52nd Ohio Infantry on August 12, 1862, but was not mustered into the service, initially because of his age. He accompanied the regiment as a volunteer aide-de-camp. On September 12 of that year, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 6th Ohio Cavalry and assigned to the staff of Major General Thomas L. Crittenden in what later became the XXI Corps in the Army of the Cumberland. McCook was involved in several campaigns and battles in the Western Theater, including Perryville, Stones River, the Tullahoma Campaign, Chattanooga, and Chickamauga.

In September 1863, McCook was commissioned as a captain and an aide-de-camp, serving in the Army of the Potomac. He was part of the army of Ulysses S. Grant in the Overland Campaign in Northern Virginia in the spring of 1864. He was severely wounded near Shady Grove, Virginia, during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, but recovered, although he never fought again. He received a brevet promotion to major for his "gallant and meritorious" service in that battle. In the omnibus promotions at the end of the war, McCook was breveted as a lieutenant colonel and then a colonel in the volunteer army.