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James M. Cook was born on 21 March 1839 in Saratoga County, New York and later moved to Muskegon, Michigan. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Cook served three years in the 5th Michigan Cavalry Regiment and was captured at the battle of Trevelyan Station in Virginia on 10 June 1864. He managed to escape his captors briefly, but was later recaptured by Gen. Jubal Early's command. Cook was then sent to Libby prison in Richmond, Virginia and later to Andersonville prison in Andersonville, Georgia where he spent three months. Following his imprisonment in Andersonville, Cook was taken to Savannah, Georgia where he again escaped from his captors, but was quickly recaptured and taken to Millen, Georgia. From Millen, Cook was sent to the Confederate prison in Blackshear, Georgia. He was able to escape from Blackshear and reached the Union lines in Jacksonville, Florida on 25 December 1864. Following his service in the Union army, Cook returned to Michigan where he studied at the University of Michigan and began a career as a medical doctor. Cook worked as a doctor in Muskegon until his death in 1894.
This collection contains a newspaper clipping of the obituary of Dr. James M. Cook as well as a photograph of Cook. Cook's obituary includes brief anecdotes from Cook regarding his service in the Civil War, primarily in regards to his time spent in Confederate prisons and what he did to escape.