Francis Augustus Cook (1843–1916) was a career United States Navy officer who served from 1860 until 1903. He is most famous for being the commanding officer of the at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. He was one of the few United States Navy officers to serve in combat in both the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

and the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

Early life

He was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, on May 10, 1843. He was the son of Benjamin E. Cook and Elizabeth Christine (Griffin) Cook. His father was a general in the Massachusetts Militia.Cogar. pg. 54.

Naval career

He was appointed as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy in 1860. He graduated and was promoted to acting Ensign on October 1, 1863. He served on board the USS ''Seminole'' at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. He rose to the rank of captain in February 1896 and became the commanding officer of the cruiser in December 1896. The ''Brooklyn'' was assigned as the flagship of the Flying Squadron under Rear Admiral

Winfield Scott Schley Winfield Scott Schley (9 October 1839 – 2 October 1911) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and the hero of the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish–American War. Biography Early life Born at "Richfields" (his father's far ...

with Cook serving as Schley's

flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First ...

and ''de facto'' chief of staff. The ''Brooklyn'', under Cook's command, highly distinguished herself at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898. Captain Cook received the surrender of the Spanish ship ''Cristobal Colon'' after the battle. He was promoted to rear admiral on March 21, 1903, and retired on September 5 of the same year. He was a member of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

and the Military Order of Foreign Wars. He died in

Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence and Leeds) was 29,571. Northampton is known as an acade ...

, on October 8, 1916, at the age of 73. He is buried in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

References

Sources

* ''Dictionary of Admirals of the U.S. Navy''. William B. Cogar. Naval Institute Press. Annapolis, Maryland. 1991. Volume 2 (1901–1918). pg. 54. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Francis A. United States Navy rear admirals 1843 births 1916 deaths Burials at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery