Cook was born on New Bern, North Carolina on December 1, 1826, as the son of Major and Mary W.

[1][2] He entered military service in 1848 at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated from the naval academy there at the same year but was discharged from the United States Navy in 1852.

[1][3] Due to this, he moved to Fairfield, Alabama where he would farm at his plantation until the outbreak of the American Civil War.

[1][3] When Union ships arrived at the area in October 1862, Cook participated at the Battle of Galveston Harbor before asking for a negotiation after the Confederate defeat[4] but then assisting the Confederates at the Battle of Galveston at Kuhn's Wharf.

[1][3] He later participated at the Second Battle of Sabine Pass and repelled the Union advance there.