The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain (Infantry) Walter Howard Cooke, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 21 July 1861, while serving with Company K, 4th Pennsylvania Infantry Militia, in action at Bull Run, Virginia. Captain Cooke voluntarily served as an aide on the staff of Colonel David Hunter and participated in the battle, his term of service having expired on the previous day.