b. 10/08/1847 London, England. d. 03/08/1915 Washington DC.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 17/09/1862 Antietam, Maryland.
John Cook MOH
Cook enlisted in the Union Army at age fourteen in Cincinnati, Ohio, and served as a bugler in Battery B of the 4th U.S. Artillery Regiment. During the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, his unit supported General John Gibbon’s attack down the Hagerstown Turnpike. Immediately after unlimbering their guns, the battery came under fire from Confederate infantrymen in the West Woods. Cook helped a wounded officer to the rear and, upon returning to his unit, found that most of the cannoneers had been killed. Seeing a dead artilleryman with a full pouch of ammunition, Cook took the pouch and began servicing the cannons. He continued to work as a cannoneer throughout the attack, despite intense fire from Confederate soldiers who came within fifteen feet of the guns.
The next year, Cook participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, where he carried messages across a half-mile of fire-swept terrain. During that battle, he helped destroy a damaged caisson to prevent it from falling into the hands of approaching Confederates.
For his actions at Antietam, Cook was awarded the Medal of Honor several decades later, on June 30, 1894.
MOH CITATION:
Volunteered at the age of 15 years to act as a cannoneer, and as such volunteer served a gun under a terrific fire of the enemy.
BURIAL LOCATION: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
SECTION 17, GRAVE 18613.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
