Brigadier General Samuel K. Zook (USV)

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Aug 27, 2016
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Hangzhou, China (Wisconsin, USA)
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Brigadier General Samuel Kosciuszko Zook (USV)

Samuel K. Zook was born in Tredyffrin, Chester County, Pennsylvania on 27 March 1821. At an early age, he and his parents moved to the home of his maternal grandmother at Valley Forge and the tradition of George Washington’s winter encampment there during the American Revolutionary War fueled a lifelong interest in military matters. His father, David, had been a major during the Revolutionary War, further fueling his interests. From the time he was old enough to carry a musket, he participated in local militia activities. At 19, he became a lieutenant in the Pennsylvania militia.

He became a proficient telegraph operator and worked on crews to string wires as far west as the Mississippi River. He moved to New York City and became the superintendent of the Washington and New York Telegraph Company. While there he joined the 6th​ New York Governor’s Guard regiment and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel by the time the Civil War broke out.

The 6th​ New York Militia was called into action as a 90-day regiment during the summer of 1861. Zook served as the military governor in Annapolis, seeking support from politically influential men there to achieve a regimental command of his own. After he was mustered out, he raised the 57th​ New York Infantry (National Guard Rifles) and became its colonel on 19 October 1861.

Zook’s regiment was assigned to William H. French’s brigade in Edwin V. Sumner’s division of the Army of the Potomac. His first combat was during the Seven Days Battles. Zook was personally scouting far out in front of his regiment in the run-up to the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, got behind enemy lines, and found that Confederate Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder was conducting an elaborate deception making it appear that he had significantly more troops in his sector than he actually had. Zook’s discovery was reported to Maj. Gen. George McClellan, commander of the Army of the Potomac, but it was ignored, and Union troops that could have been used successfully elsewhere remained tied down.

Zook missed the Battle of Antietam being on medical leave due to chronic and disabling rheumatism. When he returned, he took command of French’s brigade (3rd​ Brigade, 1st​ Division, II Corps) under division commander Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock. His brigade was one of the first to arrive at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and he wanted to cross over the Rappahannock River as quickly as possible before Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee could reinforce the town and the heights beyond it. However, Army of the Potomac commander Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside prevented the movement, wanting to wait for his army to concentrate and to receive pontoon bridges to make the river crossing. While waiting for the pontoons to arrive, Zook served as military governor of Falmouth, Virginia.

When the Battle of Fredericksburg began on 13 December 1862, French’s division was the first to assault Marye’s Heights. After being repulsed with heavy losses, Hancock’s division moved forward with Zook’s brigade in the lead. Zook had his horse shot out from under him but managed to lead his men to within 60 yards of the Stone Wall, one of the farthest Union advances of the battle. His brigade suffered 527 of the 12,000 Union casualties that night. Hancock praised Zook’s attack for its “spirit”. He was promoted to brigadier general in March 1863.

At the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, Zook’s brigade fought in the defensive line around the Chancellor Mansion. Disabled again by rheumatism, he left on medical leave rejoining his brigade at the end of June to march into Pennsylvania for the Gettysburg Campaign.

On 2 July 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Brig. Gen. John C. Caldwell’s division, including Zook’s brigade, was sent to reinforce the crumbling III Corps line that was being assaulted by the Confederate corps of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet. Zook was directed by a III Corps staff officer toward the Wheatfield to reinforce the brigade of Col. Régis de Trobriand and to fill a gap near the Stony Hill.

Zook, on horseback, led his men up the hill, which attracted the attention of men from the advancing 3rd​ and 7th​ South Carolina Infantry regiments. He was struck by rifle fire in the shoulder, chest, and abdomen, and was taken behind the lines for medical treatment at a toll house on the Baltimore Pike. He died from his wounds on 3 July.

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Zook's 57th New York was a somewhat odd regiment in that it was actually a conglomeration of several militia units. Companies A-E were raised by Samuel K. Zook and formed from the National Guard Rifles, Companies F-H (the Clinton Rifles) were raised by J.A. Page, and Companies I and K were from the United States Voltigeurs (who were themselves formed from a consolidation of the Manhattan Rifles, the United States Voltgeurs, and the Washington Zouaves).

Ryan
 
Interestingly, Kosciuszko was the engineer who laid out the fortifications at West Point and was given the rank of brigadier general at the end of the Revolution by a grateful Congress for his service. I'm familiar with him because of the bridge over the Mohawk River near Albany, NY which is named for him and which I crossed hundreds of times when I was growing up on New York.

Ryan
 
I wonder if Samuel Zook's father may have served with Kosciuszko?

Just doing a quick perusal of his father's record, I couldn't find anything in relation to TK. But I have to wonder if it might have had something to do with where he was raised, since his birth name was Samuel Kurtz Zook. The Zooks lived on the Valley Forge field in the house used by General Greene as his HQ and I'm thinking that that closeness led to their changing his middle name.

Ryan
 
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