SUMNER
SUMNER
1819; was married at Sacket Harbor, N.Y.,
March 3, 1822, to Hannah W., daughter of Thomas
and Sarah Petit (Montgomery) Forster ; fought
in the Black Hawk war in 1832, and was chief
commissary for the army in the field by
appointment of General
Scott. He was elected
by President Jackson
as second captain of
the new regiment of
horse, at the time an
unusual promotion.
He served on frontier
duty in the west,
1833-38, accompanying
General Dodge to
the head waters of
the Red river in
1834, and in 1838 was
given command of
practice in Carlisle
Barracks, Penn. He was ordered to join
General Kearny's expedition to New Mexico in June,
1846, and commanded the 1st regiment of
dragoons; was promoted major, 2d dragoons, and
served in the Mexican war, leading his troops at
the battles of Madeline Bridge and Cerro Gordo.
At the latter he was struck in the head by a spent
ball, and confined in the hospital for a month,
the nature of his wound giving him the sobriquet
"Old Hard Head." He was brevetted
lieutenant-colonel and colonel for Molino del Rey,
where he held 5000 Mexican lancers, and received
special praise from General Worth for skill and
courage. He commanded the Brigade of Horse in
the occupation of the City of Mexico, which post
lie held until January, 1848. He was commissioned
lieutenant-colonel, 1st dragoons, July 18,
1848 ; commanded the department of New Mexico,
1851-53, and later visited Europe for the purpose
of observing foreign cavalry discipline and drill.
He was promoted colonel, 1st cavalry, in 1855,
and was in command of Fort Leavenworth, Kan.,
in 1856, where he incurred the displeasure of the
secretary of war and was removed. In July,
1857, he led an expedition and defeated the
Cheyenne Indians at Solomon's Fork. He was
commander of the Department of the West, 1858-61.
In 1861 he was senior colonel in the U.S. cavalry,
and was chosen to escort President-elect
Lincoln from Springfield to Washington. On
March 16, 1861, President Lincoln appointed him
brigadier-general in place of Gen. David E.
Twiggs, removed, one of the first military
appointments made by President Lincoln, who said:
"It is the best office in my gift." He was ordered
to supersede Gen. A. S. Johnston with whom he
ranked in the command of the Department of
the Pacific and is credited with saving California to the Union. Being anxious for more active duty he was recalled, and in March, 1862, was attached to the Army of the Potomac and given command of the 1st army corps. He commanded the left wing at the siege of Yorktown; was second in command to McClellan in the whole Peninsular campaign; fought at Williamsburg, and at Fair Oaks his celerity in crossing the Chickahominy enabled him to support McClellan before Longstreet could reach the Confederates. He commanded his corps in the Seven Days' battles, and was twice wounded. In recognition of his services on the Peninsula he was appointed major-general of volunteers, to rank from July 4, and brevet major-general U.S.A., to date from May 31, 1862. On the re-organization of the army after Pope's disastrous Virginia campaign, he was assigned to the command of the 2d corps, and at the battle of Antietam was again wounded. Under Burnside he commanded the right grand division, consisting of the 2d and 9th corps, and a division of artillery, and after bearing the brunt of the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, he was relieved at his own request, Jan. 25, 1863. On March 9, 1863, he was assigned to the command of the Department of the West. On his way there he died in Syracuse. N.Y., March 21, 1863.
SUMNER, Edwin Vose, soldier, was born at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., Aug. 14. 1835; son of Edwin Vose Sumner (q.v.) and Hannah W. (Forster) Sumner. He attended school; engaged in civil pursuits, and joined the Clay Guards, organized in Washington, D.C., in April, 1861. He was commissioned 2d lieutenant in the first dragoons Aug. 5, 1861, and promoted 1st lieutenant, Nov. 12, 1861 ; declined the appointment of major, 2d California cavalry, Sept. 10, 1861; served in the defences of Washington, 1861-62, and in the Manassas and Peninsular campaigns; was aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. George Stoneman; was appointed additional aide-de-camp of volunteers with the rank of major, May 19, 1863, and was honorably discharged from that grade in September to date from August, 1863. He served with his regiment in the Wilderness campaign, being twice wounded at Todd's Tavern, but remained on the field until the close of the action. For this service he was brevetted major. May 6, 1864. He returned to duty. July. 1864. and served as colonel, 1st New York Mounted Rifles from Sept. 8, 1864, in the Army of the James. His regiment was selected by General Grant to cut the Weldon railroad where he engaged the enemy near Jackson and carried out his purpose. After the surrender of Lee, he was assigned to the command of the District of Virginia with a separate brigade, and he was mustered out of the volunteer service Nov. 29, 1865.
