Thomas Humphrey Cushing

Thomas Humphrey Cushing
Born	December, 1755
Died	October 19, 1822(1822-10-19)
Place of birth	Pembroke, Massachusetts
Place of death	New London, Connecticut
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1776–1815
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.

Biography

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 Lieuteant 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. Cushing was one of the last soldiers to be dischaged from the Continental Army in June 1784. On March 4, 1791 Cushing was commissioned a Captain in the 2nd Infantry Regiment. He 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. Cushing served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1797 to 1798 (acting), 1800 to 1807, and 1812 to 1813. He also served as acting Inspector General of the U.S. Army from 1800 to 1807 and 1812 to 1813. Cushing was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in 1812 and retired in June 1815. In January 1816 Cushing was appointed collector of customs for the port of New London, Connecticut, succeeding Jedidiah 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 was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati from Massachusetts and was a member of the Society from 1783 until his death in New London, Connecticut in 1822. In 1799, he commissioned artist James Peale to create a miniature portrait of himself.

See also

• List of Adjutant Generals of the U.S. Army
• List of Inspectors General of the U.S. Army

References

• Drake, Francis S. (1873). Memorials of the Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts. Boston: Society of the Cincinnati of Massachusetts. p. 271. http://books.google.com/books?id=CvJEg2jiPnsC. Retrieved 2009-05-06. 
•  Wilson, James Grant; Fiske, John, eds. (1900) "Cushing, Thomas Humphrey" Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography New York: D. Appleton 
• Carl Russell Fish (1905). The Civil Service and the Patronage. New York: Longmans, Green, and Co. pp. 54–55. http://www.archive.org/details/civilservicepatr00fishrich. 

Further reading

• Hampton, Wade (1812). Trial of Col. Thomas H. Cushing. Philadelphia: Moses Thomas. http://books.google.com/books?id=9UgDAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 2009-05-06. 

External links

• "Cushing, Thomas Humphrey". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/fcu35.html. Retrieved 2009-05-06. 
• "Portrait of Major Thomas Humphrey Cushing". Indianapolis Museum of Art. http://www.imamuseum.org/explore/artwork/1555. Retrieved 2009-05-06. 

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 William North	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 Alexander Hamilton	Inspector General of the U.S. Army June 15, 1800-April 2, 1807 (acting)	Succeeded by Abimael Y. Nicoll (acting)