Samuel H. Cook was a Union officer who served as a captain in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. A veteran of the fighting in Kansas, in 1861 he started recruiting volunteers in

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

to form a unit of soldiers to head east and fight against the Confederacy. However, Governor William Gilpin of the

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado. The territory was organized ...

, offering funds to raise the unit, persuaded him to stay and help raise the 1st Regiment of Colorado Volunteers. Chivington's recruits formed the core of the new unit. Major

John Chivington John Milton Chivington (January 27, 1821 – October 4, 1894) was a Methodist pastor and Mason who served as a colonel in the United States Volunteers during the New Mexico Campaign of the American Civil War. He led a rear action against a ...

was placed in command of the unit and Captain Cook commanded the cavalry of F Company. At the

Battle of Glorieta Pass The Battle of Glorieta Pass was fought March 26–28, 1862, in the northern New Mexico Territory, by Union Army, Union and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces during the American Civil War. While not the largest battle of the New Mexic ...

, Cook was wounded at Apache Canyon.

References

{{reflist United States Army officers