Thomas Humphrey Cushing
Thomas Humphrey Cushing
|
|
---|---|
File:Thomas Humphrey Cushing.jpg | |
Born | December 1755 Pembroke, Massachusetts |
Died | October 19, 1822 New London, Connecticut |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ |
United States Army |
Years of service | 1776–1784, 1791–1815 |
Rank | Brigadier General |
Commands held | Adjutant General of the U.S. Army Inspector General of the U.S. Army |
Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War War of 1812 |
Thomas Humphrey Cushing (November, 1755 – October 19, 1822) was an officer in the Continental Army, and later the United States Army, and finally became a collector of customs for the port of New London, Connecticut.
Contents
Revolutionary War service
Cushing began his military career as a sergeant in the 6th Continental Regiment in January 1776. He was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Regiment in January 1777 and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in January 1778. He was taken prisoner in May 1781 and was later exchanged. He was breveted to the rank of captain in September 1783. In 1783 Cushing became an original member of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.
Following the British evacuation of New York City in November 1783, the bulk of the Continental Army was discharged. Cushing was retained in Jackson's Continental Regiment, commanded by Brevet Brigadier General Henry Jackson, and was one of the last officers to be discharged from the Continental Army when the regiment was disbanded on June 20, 1784.
Later military career
On March 4, 1791 Cushing was commissioned a captain in the 2nd Infantry Regiment. On March 3, 1793 he was commissioned as a major in the 1st Sublegion (later re-designated as the 1st Infantry Regiment).
From February 27, 1797 to May 22, 1798 he served as Adjutant and Inspector General of the Army. (From 1792 to 1821 the offices of Adjutant General and Inspector General were combined.) In 1799, he commissioned artist James Peale to create a miniature portrait of himself. On June 15, 1800 he was re-appointed as Adjutant and Inspector General and held the office until April 2, 1807. From 1800 to 1807 he resided in Washington, D.C. .[1]
Cushing was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Infantry on April 1, 1802. He was promoted to colonel of the same regiment on September 7, 1805.[2]
In early 1811, on the order of Brigadier General Wade Hampton I, Cushing was arrested and court martialed on charges of disobedience to orders and misuse of government funds. The court martial first met on April 26, 1811 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was presided over by Colonel Alexander Smyth. It lasted over a year and Cushing was eventually, on May 5, 1812, acquitted on most of the charges and specifications and received no sentence other than an official reprimand.[3]
War of 1812
Cushing was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on July 2, 1812. During the War of 1812, he served as Adjutant General of the Army from July 6, 1812 to March 12, 1813. He was then assigned as commander of Military District Number 2 (consisting of the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island) with his headquarters at New London, Connecticut. He was in command of forces defending Stonington, Connecticut when it was attacked by a squadron of British warships in August 1814. After the war's end, he retired from the Army on June 30, 1815.
Later life
In January 1816 Cushing was appointed collector of customs for the port of New London, Connecticut, succeeding Jedediah Huntington.
In 1817, Cushing fought a duel with Virginia congressman William J. Lewis and was saved when the bullet struck his watch. The two resolved their differences, and Lewis, stepping up to the general, said: “I congratulate you, general, on having a watch that will keep time from eternity.”
Cushing died in New London in 1822. He was originally buried in the Second Burial Ground in New London but his remains were later relocated to the Cedar Grove Cemetery in the same city.
See also
Further reading
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Notes
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
References
- ↑ Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, 1789-1903. Volume 1. Francis B. Heitman. pp. 37-38.
- ↑ Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, 1789-1903. Volume 1. Francis B. Heitman. p. 348.
- ↑ Trial of Col. Thomas H. Cushing before a General Court Martial. Philadelphia. Moses Thomas. 1812.
External links
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Thomas H. Cushing at Find a Grave
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by
Edward Butler (acting)
|
Adjutant General of the U. S. Army February 27, 1797 – July 19, 1798 (acting) |
Succeeded by William North |
Preceded by | Adjutant General of the U. S. Army June 15, 1800 – April 2, 1807 |
Succeeded by Abimael Y. Nicoll (acting) |
Preceded by
Alexander Macomb (acting)
|
Adjutant General of the U. S. Army July 6, 1812 – March 12, 1813 |
Succeeded by Zebulon Pike |
Preceded by
Edward Butler (acting)
|
Inspector General of the U.S. Army February 27, 1797 – July 18, 1798 (acting) |
Succeeded by Alexander Hamilton |
Preceded by | Inspector General of the U.S. Army June 15, 1800 – April 2, 1807 (acting) |
Succeeded by Abimael Y. Nicoll (acting) |
- Pages with broken file links
- Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from Appleton's Cyclopedia
- 1755 births
- 1822 deaths
- People from Pembroke, Massachusetts
- Adjutant Generals of the United States Army
- People from Massachusetts in the War of 1812
- Continental Army officers from Massachusetts
- Inspectors General of the United States Army
- United States Army generals
- Burials in Connecticut