Alexander M. McCook, was one of the youngest major generals in the Union army, was a member of a patriotic family from Ohio that became known as the
Fighting McCooks.
He participated in some of the bloodiest campaigns of the Civil War, including Bull Run, Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River and Chickamauga. In battle, McCook could be rash and reckless, but his personal courage was beyond reproach, and his career was marked by controversy. He was subjected to an inquiry into his conduct at the battle of Chickamauga and while he was cleared of all charges, he was relived of command and spent the remainder of the war handling relatively minor assignments. Although he was forced to deal with criticism and accusations all his postwar life, McCook was able to look back on a lifetime of proud service.