Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Cox, Jacob Dolson 1828-

Military officer; born in Montreal, Canada, Oct. 27, 1828. His mother was a lineal descendant of Elder William Brewster, of the Mayflower. He was admitted to the bar in 1852, and practised in Warren, O., until elected State Senator, in 1859. He was appointed brigadier-general of State militia, and commanded a camp of instruction, in April, 1861, and in May was made brigadier-general of volunteers, doing good service in western Virginia. In August, 1862, he was assigned to the Army of Virginia, under General Pope, and in the fall was ordered to the district of the Kanawha. After the death of Reno, at South Mountain, he commanded the 9th Army Corps. He was in command of the district of Ohio in 1863; served in the Atlanta campaign in 1864; and was promoted to major-general in December of that year. He served in Sherman's army early in 1865; was governor of Ohio in 1866-68; Secretary of the Interior under President Grant, in 1869-70; and Representative in Congress in 1877-79. He published Atlanta; The March to the sea; Franklin and Nashville; The second battle of Bull Run, etc. He died in Magnolia, Mass., Aug. 4, 1900.