Shot While On His Back

Union General Robert Latimer McCook was killed August 6th 1862 killed near Huntsville, Alabama.


Robert Latimer McCook was born in New Lisbon, Ohio December 28th 1827. He read for the bar in Steubenville, Ohio in the office of Edwin M Stanton and his father Daniel McCook, and then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he opened a practice.

McCook organized the 9th Ohio Infantry at the start of the Civil War. This was a regiment made up mostly of German immigrants, and he was commissioned their Colonel May 6th 1861. During Union General George B McClellan’s campaign in western Virginia, McCook commanded a brigade, and saw action at Rich Mountain and Carnifex Ferry. After this he was transferred to the Army of the Ohio, where his brigade saw action in January 1862 at the Battle of Mill Springs. McCook was wounded there during a bayonet charge, and received a promotion to Brigadier General. He returned to his command before fully recovered, and found traveling on horseback was impossible. He was shot during a skirmish near Huntsville, Alabama with the Confederate 4th Alabama Cavalry led by Captain Frank B Gurley. Shot in the stomach, possibly while lying defenseless in an ambulance, the wound was mortal, and he died August 6th 1862. He is buried in the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Drove They Out Of Western Virginia

As part of the campaign in Western Virginia, on September 10th 1861 the Battle of Carnifex Ferry in Nicholas County Virginia [now WV] took place.

Confederate Brigadier General John B Floyd and his troops; after routing the 7th Ohio in early September 1861 set up a camp near Carnifex Ferry. They began building entrenchments near Summersville VA on the rim of the Gauley River Canyon on the farm of Henry Patterson. Union Brigadier General William S Rosecrans moved three brigades of infantry south from Clarksburg VA into position on the afternoon of September 10th 1861. They advanced on the Confederate’s position.

The battle carried on through the day only ending when darkness came. The strong Union artillery held the day, causing General Floyd to pull his troops back, crossing to the south side of the Gauley River. The Confederates than moved on eastward toward Lewisburg VA.

The Union victory at the Battle of Carnifex Ferry helped drive the Confederates out of western Virginia and would eventually lead to the creation of the state of West Virginia.

Other information about the battle
The Battle of Carnifex Ferry The West Virginia Review November 1931