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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Bugler · U.S. Army

John Cook

Bugler John Cook, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 17, 1862Born in England

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Bugler John Cook received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. Cook was 15 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on June 30, 1894, 31 years after the action.

Cook was born on August 16, 1847 in London, England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Cook died on August 3, 1915 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 67. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, New York.

Cook is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor 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.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Cincinnati — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. August 16, 1847
    Born in London, England
  2. September 17, 1862
    Act of valor — Antietam, Maryland
    Age 15. Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery
  3. June 30, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 3, 1915
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 67.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, New York

Biography

John Cook (August 10, 1847 – August 3, 1915) was a bugler in the Union Army during the American Civil War. At age 15, he earned the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Antietam.

From the Wikipedia article “John Cook (soldier, born 1847)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on September 17, 1862

Hillary Beyer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 JC John Joice Carter Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 BC Benjamin Ham Child Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Charles Franklin Cleveland Private · Army Civil War · 1862 RC Richard J. Curran Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 Oliver Duff Greene Major & Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1862 TG Theodore W. Greig Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 IG Ignatz Gresser Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 MH Marcus M. Haskell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas Worcester Hyde Major · Army Civil War · 1862 SJ Samuel Johnson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 AL Adolph Libaire Captain · Army Civil War · 1862

See all 19 recipients for September 17, 1862 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Henry Blanchard Freeman First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Robert A. Pinn First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Samuel Robertson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ Cyrus Sears First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 JH James Haley Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 IJ Isaac James Private · Army Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.