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Edwin Vose Sumner
Edwin Vose Sumner
Edwin Vose Sumner
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Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797 – March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War.[1] His nicknames "Bull" or "Bull Head" came both from his great booming voice and a legend that a musket ball once bounced off his head.

Key Information

Sumner fought in the Black Hawk War, with distinction in the Mexican–American War, on the Western frontier, and in the Eastern Theater for the first half of the Civil War. He led the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac through the Peninsula Campaign, the Seven Days Battles, and the Maryland Campaign, and the Right Grand Division of the Army during the Battle of Fredericksburg. He died in March 1863 while awaiting transfer.

Early life and career

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Sumner was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Elisha Sumner and Nancy Vose Sumner. His early schooling was in Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts.[2] He was a first cousin once removed of Charles Sumner, the abolitionist, and a distant cousin of the statesman, Increase Sumner, and his son, the historian William H. Sumner.

In 1819, after losing interest in a mercantile career in Troy, New York, he entered the United States Army as a second lieutenant in the 2nd US Infantry Regiment on March 3, 1819. He was promoted to first lieutenant on January 25, 1825.

Sumner's military appointment was facilitated by Samuel Appleton Storrow, Judge Advocate Major on the staff of General Jacob Jennings Brown of the Northern department. (Storrow had previously served as a mentor to Sumner in Boston.) In recognition of their long-standing friendship, Sumner would later name one of his sons Samuel Storrow Sumner.[3]

He married Hannah Wickersham Foster (1804–1880) on March 31, 1822. They had six children together: Nancy, Margaret Foster, Sarah Montgomery, Mary Heron, Edwin Vose Jr., and Samuel Storrow Sumner. His son Samuel was a general during the Spanish–American War, Boxer Rebellion, and the Philippine–American War. Sumner's daughter, Mary Heron, married General Armistead L. Long in 1860.

Sumner later served in the Black Hawk War and in various Indian campaigns.[4] On March 4, 1833, he was promoted to the rank of captain and assigned to command B Company, the United States Regiment of Dragoons (later First US Dragoons), immediately upon its creation by Congress.

In 1838, he commanded the cavalry instructional establishment at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania.[4] He was assigned to Ft. Atkinson, Iowa Territory, from 1842 until 1845. He was the fort's commander during most of that period. He was promoted to major of the 2nd Dragoons on June 30, 1846. During the Mexican–American War, Sumner was brevetted for bravery at the Battle of Cerro Gordo (to lieutenant colonel). It was here that he gained the nickname "Bull Head" because of a story about a musket ball that bounced off his head during the battle. At the Molino del Rey he received the brevet rank of colonel. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 1st US Dragoons on July 23, 1848. He served as the military governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1851 to 1853 and was promoted to colonel of the 1st U.S. Cavalry on March 3, 1855.

In 1856 Sumner commanded Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and became involved in the crisis known as Bleeding Kansas. In 1857, as commander of the 1st Cavalry Regiment (1855), he led a punitive expedition against the Cheyenne,[5] and in 1858 he commanded the Department of the West. On January 7, 1861, Sumner wrote to President-elect Abraham Lincoln, advising him to carry a weapon at all times. Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott assigned Sumner as the senior officer to accompany Lincoln from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C., in March 1861.[6]

Civil War

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Edwin Vose Sumner and his staff ca. 1861-1862

In February 1861, Brig. Gen. David E. Twiggs was dismissed from the Army for treason by outgoing U.S. President James Buchanan, and on May 12, 1861, Sumner was nominated by the newly inaugurated Lincoln to replace Twiggs as one of only three brigadier generals in the regular army, with date of rank March 16.[7] Sumner was thus the first new Union general created by the secession crisis. He was then sent to replace Brig. Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, then in command of the Department of the Pacific in California, and thus took no part in the 1861 campaigns of the war.[8] When Sumner left for California, his son-in-law Armistead Lindsay Long resigned his commission and enlisted with the Confederate Army eventually becoming Robert E. Lee's military secretary and an artillery brigadier general.

An image of Sumner by Mathew Brady or Levin C. Handy

In November 1861, Sumner was brought back east to command a division.[9] When Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan began organizing the Army of the Potomac in March, Sumner was given command of one of its new corps. McClellan had not originally formed corps within the Army; Sumner was selected as one of four corps commanders by President Lincoln, based on his seniority. The II Corps, commanded during the war by Sumner, Darius N. Couch, Winfield Scott Hancock, and Andrew A. Humphreys, had the deserved reputation of being one of the best in the Eastern Theater. Sumner, who was the oldest of the generals in the Army of the Potomac, led his corps throughout the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days Battles.[8]

The Chickahominy – Sumner's Upper Bridge: 1862 watercolour by William McIlvaine

McClellan originally formed a poor opinion of Sumner during the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862. During McClellan's absence, Sumner directed the inconclusive battle, which failed to impede the Confederate withdrawal up the Peninsula, and McClellan wrote to his wife, "Sumner had proved that he was even a greater fool than I had supposed & had come within an ace of having us defeated."[10] At the Battle of Seven Pines, however, Sumner's initiative in sending reinforcing troops across the dangerously rain-swollen Chickahominy River prevented a Union disaster. He received the brevet of major general in the regular army for his gallantry at Seven Pines. Sumner was struck in the arm and hand by spent balls at the Battle of Glendale. Despite his old-fashioned ideas on discipline and respect for commanding officers, the II Corps troops generally had a positive opinion of him. Sumner was promoted to major general of volunteers on July 4, 1862, with the rank dated to May 5.

In the fall of 1862, at the Battle of Antietam, Sumner was the center of controversy for ordering Brig. Gen. John Sedgwick's division to launch an attack into the West Woods on the morning of the battle. The assault was devastated by a Confederate counterattack, and Sedgwick's men retreated in great disorder to their starting point with over 2,200 casualties. Sumner has been condemned by most historians for his "reckless" attack, his lack of coordination with the other corps commanders, accompanying Sedgwick's division personally and losing control of his other attacking division, failing to perform adequate reconnaissance prior to launching his attack, and selecting an unusual line of battle formation that was so effectively flanked by the Confederate counterattack. Historian M. V. Armstrong's recent scholarship, however, has determined that Sumner did perform appropriate reconnaissance and his decision to attack where he did was justified by the information available to him.[11]

Sumner's other divisions drove the weak Confederate center back, but Sumner was badly shaken by the disaster to Sedgwick and heavy casualties to other Union forces. Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin wanted to attack with his fresh VI Corps, but Sumner, who was senior to him, ordered him to hold back. McClellan sustained Sumner.

Shortly before being fired from command of the army in October, McClellan wrote to the War Department a letter recommending that Sumner be relieved of duty, as he doubted that his age and health would permit him to survive another campaign, but nothing came of this and when Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside succeeded to the command of the Army of the Potomac, he grouped the corps in "grand divisions" and appointed Sumner to command the Right Grand Division. In this capacity, he took part in the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg, in which the II Corps, now commanded by Major General Darius N. Couch, suffered heavy casualties in frontal assaults against Confederate troops fortified at Marye's Heights.[4]

Transfer and death

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Memorial and burial place of Major Gen. E. V. Sumner and Hannah F. Sumner, Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, New York

Soon afterward, on Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker's appointment to command the Army of the Potomac on January 26, 1863, Sumner was relieved of his command at his own request.[4] He was then reassigned to a new command in the Department of the Missouri, effective in the spring.[12] Before that, Sumner went to his daughter's home in Syracuse, New York, to rest, where he fell ill with fever. He died on March 21, 1863, and was buried in Syracuse's Oakwood Cemetery.

His two sons, Brigadier General Edwin Vose Sumner, Jr. and Major General Samuel S. Sumner, both served in the Civil War and the Spanish–American War.

Grave

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Sumner is buried in Section 8, Lot 1 of Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse. Part of the Teall family plot, the gravesite has some structural problems and issues of disrepair. The Onondaga County Civil War Round Table was raising funds to repair the grave and the general area.[citation needed]

Fort Sumner in the New Mexico Territory was named in his honour.

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Edwin Vose Sumner

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Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797 – March 21, 1863) was a career officer who served in the , , , and , eventually rising to and commanding the II Corps of the as its oldest field commander. Sumner earned the nickname "Bull Head" during the in the when a musket ball struck and reportedly bounced off his forehead without penetrating his skull. He played a key role in developing the U.S. Army's mounted forces by establishing the Cavalry School of Practice at and later commanding the 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment. During the Civil War, Sumner escorted President-elect to , in 1861 and led II Corps through the , where he received a brevet promotion for gallantry at Seven Pines, as well as the and Fredericksburg; however, his decisions, such as the uncoordinated assault on the West Woods at Antietam that inflicted over 2,200 casualties on his corps, drew criticism for recklessness and inadequate . Sumner died of a heart attack in , while en route to assume command of the Department of the .

Early Life

Birth and Family Background

Edwin Vose Sumner was born on January 30, 1797, in , , into a modest mercantile family of descent. His parents were Elisha Sumner (1760–1839), a , and Nancy Vose Sumner (1765–1848), who together raised seven children in the city's post-Revolutionary commercial environment. The family's circumstances reflected the disciplined, thrifty ethos of Federalist-era , where mercantile stability and skepticism toward democratic excesses shaped household values amid the young republic's political turbulence. Sumner's upbringing occurred in this traditional context, with his parents providing continuity through his formative years; Elisha's longevity into the ensured paternal guidance well into Edwin's adulthood. Such roots instilled an early appreciation for order, hierarchy, and incremental reform over radical upheaval, influences evident in the Sumner lineage's longstanding ties to ' conservative mercantile class.

Education and Entry into Military Service

Sumner received his early education at local schools in , including , before pursuing a brief mercantile career in , which he soon abandoned in favor of military service. On March 3, 1819, he obtained a direct commission as a in the 2nd U.S. Infantry, bypassing formal training in an era when such appointments were common for qualified civilians. His initial assignments involved routine garrison duties and administrative tasks typical of junior infantry officers, including postings at forts and recruiting stations along the and in eastern cities. Sumner's first exposure to combat came during the of 1832 in , where he served with the 2nd Infantry in operations against Sauk and Fox tribes led by Black Hawk, though his role was limited to supporting maneuvers rather than major engagements. This brief campaign provided foundational experience in frontier warfare, emphasizing mobility and light infantry tactics amid challenging terrain and irregular foes. By 1833, he had advanced to captain in the , setting the stage for further specialization in mounted forces.

Pre-Civil War Military Career

Early Assignments and Initial Combat Experience

Sumner received his commission as a in the 2nd U.S. Infantry on March 3, 1819, and was posted to Madison Barracks at , where he undertook standard garrison responsibilities on the northern frontier. These early duties involved maintaining order at remote outposts amid tensions with Native American tribes, fostering his initial familiarity with the rigors of service in isolated conditions. Advanced to on January 25, 1823, Sumner shifted to recruiting and administrative roles through 1831, serving at locations such as Sault Ste. Marie and in , , , and Sackets Harbor. His first significant combat exposure occurred in the Black Hawk War of 1832, during which he operated in against Sauk and Fox forces under Black Hawk, participating in operations that quelled the intertribal uprising and expelled the warriors across the . This brief campaign, involving skirmishes and pursuits in rugged terrain, provided Sumner with hands-on experience in frontier combat tactics and , distinguishing him from contemporaries lacking such field seasoning. Following his promotion to on March 4, 1833, Sumner joined the newly established 1st U.S. Dragoons, commanding Company B while conducting patrols against Native American groups in the West and additional recruiting in the East. In this capacity, he prioritized intensive drill and mounted maneuvers, instilling strict discipline that enhanced troop cohesion and reliability during sporadic engagements with resistant tribes. These formative assignments solidified Sumner's approach to leadership, rooted in unwavering adherence to orders and rigorous training, which contrasted with the variable preparedness of less veteran officers and prepared him for escalating frontier challenges.

Mexican-American War Service

During the Mexican–American War, Major Edwin Vose Sumner of the 1st Dragoons participated in Winfield Scott's Vera Cruz expedition, advancing from the coast toward . On April 18, 1847, at the , Sumner led a charge with the 1st Dragoons and mounted riflemen against entrenched Mexican positions, earning a brevet promotion to for gallantry. During this assault, a spent musket ball struck him in the forehead but reportedly bounced off his without penetrating, an incident that later contributed to his nickname "Bull Head." Sumner continued in Scott's campaign, commanding reserve forces at the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco in August 1847. On September 8, 1847, at the , he directed three squadrons of dragoons on the left flank in a fierce on Mexican foundries held as defensive works, sustaining another wound to his arm amid heavy fighting. For his leadership there, Sumner received a brevet promotion to . These brevets elevated Sumner's status in the , highlighting his preference for bold, direct charges over flanking maneuvers, as demonstrated in his repeated frontline commands despite injuries. Sumner subsequently contributed to the capture of in September 1847, solidifying his reputation for resolute combat service.

Frontier Duties and Cavalry Development

In 1851, Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Vose Sumner was appointed military governor of the , where he led efforts to secure the frontier against Native American raids by establishing a network of forts along the . Departing from in June with over 300 dragoons and infantry, Sumner's column marched approximately 700 miles to Santa Fe, arriving in early October after navigating challenging terrain and supply issues. During this period, he founded Fort Union near present-day Watrous, , on July 26, 1851, as a key supply depot and defensive outpost, along with other posts like Fort Defiance in Navajo country established in August 1851 to deter Apache and incursions. These initiatives reflected Sumner's commitment to organized expansion, prioritizing fortified lines over scattered patrols to project U.S. authority amid irregular tribal warfare. Promoted to on March 3, 1855, Sumner assumed command of the newly formed 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment at , , tasked with patrolling the and adapting mounted forces to vast, open terrains. He focused on rigorous professional training, emphasizing discipline, horsemanship, and traditional European-style suited to shock combat rather than solely skirmishing. Sumner advocated for the saber as the primary weapon for decisive charges, arguing it enabled rapid, cohesive assaults against fluid Native opponents, in contrast to Secretary of War Jefferson Davis's preference for breech-loading rifles that encouraged dismounted firing and dispersed formations. This approach stemmed from Sumner's experience with dragoons, where he prioritized unit cohesion and momentum over individual marksmanship in frontier engagements. Sumner's cavalry doctrines were tested in 1857 during a punitive expedition against Cheyenne bands accused of raiding emigrant wagon trains along the Platte River. Departing Fort Leavenworth on May 20 with about 700 men, including elements of the 1st Cavalry, 2nd Dragoons, and infantry, Sumner tracked the Cheyenne to the Solomon River in Kansas. On July 17, at the Battle of Solomon Fork, he ordered a mounted saber charge by 250 cavalrymen against a Cheyenne village of roughly 500 warriors, the first major U.S. Army employment of such tactics on the Plains; the assault scattered the defenders, inflicting casualties and compelling their withdrawal without significant American losses. This action validated Sumner's emphasis on aggressive, saber-led maneuvers for breaking Native resistance in open country, influencing subsequent frontier cavalry operations.

Enforcement in Bleeding Kansas

In 1855, Colonel Edwin V. Sumner assumed command of U.S. Army forces in from , tasked with enforcing federal authority amid escalating violence between pro-slavery settlers from and anti-slavery free-staters during the territorial crisis known as . His deployment of approximately 500 troops to Lawrence in December 1855 during the Wakarusa War, at the request of territorial Governor Wilson Shannon, averted immediate escalation by positioning federal forces between opposing militias, though Sumner initially hesitated without explicit orders from Washington. Prioritizing restoration of order over partisan alignment, Sumner coordinated with civilian authorities to uphold the territorial government's laws, which recognized the pro-slavery Lecompton legislature as legitimate under federal statute, while restraining both factions' excesses. A pivotal enforcement action occurred on July 4, 1856, when Sumner led roughly 300 troops, including two companies of the 1st Cavalry under Major , to disperse the rival free-state legislature assembled in Topeka, which had convened under the invalid Topeka Constitution of 1855. Acting on direct orders from Governor Shannon and with tacit presidential approval from , Sumner positioned artillery and cavalry outside Constitution Hall, reading a that declared the assembly illegal and demanding its dissolution to prevent open against federal territorial governance. The operation succeeded without bloodshed, as legislators complied after brief resistance, demonstrating Sumner's emphasis on disciplined, non-lethal intervention to maintain civil authority; however, reports noted his visible reluctance, with tears observed as he executed the dispersal. Sumner's forces conducted patrols along key routes, such as between Lawrence and the Missouri border, and stationed five companies near Westport, Missouri, on June 23, 1856, to interdict armed incursions by pro-slavery "Border Ruffians." In April 1856, he detached 10 soldiers under Lieutenant McIntosh to assist pro-slavery Sheriff Samuel Jones in arrests related to free-state activities, and following the May 21 , redeployed units to secure supply lines and disarm irregular bands from both sides, including raids. Logistically, Sumner leveraged Fort Leavenworth's 210-236 troops and Fort Riley's 217-234 personnel for rapid mobilization, ensuring federal arsenals like , remained protected after a December 1855 attempt. These measures suppressed sporadic but strained resources amid communication delays and ambiguous higher command. Free-state advocates, including abolitionist publications, criticized Sumner for ostensibly enabling pro-slavery dominance by enforcing the territorial regime's edicts, viewing the Topeka dispersal as suppression of legitimate resistance to fraudulent elections. Pro-slavery elements, wary of his Northern origins and kinship to anti-slavery Senator , accused him of insufficient vigor against free-state militias, leading to his placement on 60-day leave starting July 15, 1856. Despite such partisan attacks—often amplified by biased sectional press—Sumner's adherence to chain-of-command protocols and focus on de-escalation contributed to provisional stability under subsequent Governor , though underlying territorial disputes persisted until Kansas statehood in 1861.

American Civil War Service

Commission and Early Union Organization

At the onset of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln prioritized seasoned regular army officers to offset the inexperience prevalent among newly raised volunteer regiments. Edwin V. Sumner, possessing over 40 years of service including command of the 1st U.S. Cavalry since 1855, received nomination for promotion to brigadier general in the regular army on March 12, 1861, confirmed effective March 16, replacing Brigadier General David E. Twiggs who had joined the Confederacy. This made Sumner the first Union general appointed in response to the secession crisis, underscoring his value as a reliable counterweight to politically appointed or novice leaders. Though a Democrat by affiliation, Sumner demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Union, advising president-elect Lincoln to travel armed amid rising tensions and explicitly rejecting secessionist overtures during his pre-war tenure in . Initially dispatched to the Department of the Pacific in May 1861 to secure federal installations against potential disloyalty, including replacing Brigadier General , Sumner was recalled east in November 1861 to aid in assembling the Army of the Potomac's divisions. In early 1862, as Union forces mobilized for offensive operations, Sumner assumed command of the II Corps on , leveraging his expertise to organize and drill volunteer units into cohesive formations capable of withstanding Confederate pressure. His promotion to of volunteers followed on May 5, 1862, reflecting confidence in his ability to integrate mounted and elements effectively within George B. McClellan's expanding command structure. Drawing from his advocacy for cavalry's strategic utility—rooted in frontier service and Mexican War experience—Sumner contributed to establishing dedicated mounted divisions for reconnaissance and screening duties around Washington's defenses, countering early Union tendencies to underemploy horsemen in favor of infantry-heavy tactics.

Peninsula Campaign and Seven Days Battles

In the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, Major General Edwin Vose Sumner commanded the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac as it advanced up the Virginia Peninsula toward Richmond following the Siege of Yorktown. His corps, consisting of divisions under brigadiers such as Israel B. Richardson and John Sedgwick, participated in the pursuit of Confederate forces after the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5. Sumner's leadership emphasized direct infantry movements, reflecting his traditional tactical approach favoring bold advances over cautious maneuvers. During the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31–June 1, Sumner's II Corps played a critical role in reinforcing the isolated III and IV Corps, which faced Confederate assaults under across the rain-swollen . Despite heavy rains that had flooded bridges for 16 of the prior 31 days and engineer reluctance due to the precarious Grapevine Bridge's instability, Sumner aggressively ordered the crossing, declaring his intent to execute orders regardless of risks. Two divisions successfully crossed before the bridge partially collapsed, stabilizing the Union line and contributing to the repulse of the Confederate attack; for his gallantry, Sumner received a brevet promotion to in the . In the ensuing Seven Days Battles from June 25 to July 1, Sumner's II Corps served as rearguard during the Union withdrawal toward the . At Savage's Station on June 29, his forces, numbering around 15,000 men including detached brigades, repelled uncoordinated Confederate attacks by John B. Magruder's division, covering the evacuation of over 2,500 wounded and supplies while inflicting approximately 700 casualties on the attackers at a cost of about 600 Union losses. The next day at Glendale on June 30, Sumner directed defensive actions amid fierce fighting, sustaining a to his and hand but maintaining cohesion. On July 1 at Malvern Hill, elements of II Corps supported Fitz John Porter's V Corps in holding elevated positions, where Sumner's reinforcements helped repel repeated Confederate assaults, though his exhaustion from prior exertions was evident at age 65. These engagements showcased Sumner's tenacity in stabilizing lines under pressure, preventing Confederate breakthroughs during the retreat despite McClellan's overall caution.

Maryland Campaign and Battle of Antietam

During the in September 1862, Edwin V. Sumner commanded the II Corps of the as Confederate forces under invaded the state. On September 14, at the , McClellan positioned Sumner's corps, along with XII Corps, in the center as a reserve force during the Union assaults on Turner's, Fox's, and Crampton's Gaps, where it did not engage in combat. At the on September 17, 1862, morning fog delayed the II Corps' crossing of until around 9:30 a.m., after which Sumner directed his divisions toward the Confederate left-center. John Sedgwick's division advanced into the West Woods north of the Dunker Church, initially gaining ground but suffering a devastating enfilade from Confederate counterattacks led by Stonewall Jackson's forces, resulting in over 2,200 casualties and a forced withdrawal. Simultaneously, William French's and Israel B. Richardson's divisions veered southwest, engaging entrenched Confederates along the Sunken Road (later known as Bloody Lane), where Union troops eventually exploited a Confederate repositioning error to seize the position by about 11:00 a.m. The II Corps' assaults incurred heavy losses, with nearly 50 percent casualties across its divisions in the fighting around the West Woods and Bloody Lane; Richardson was mortally wounded by shellfire while directing artillery fire during the Sunken Road attack, dying on 3. Contemporary critiques, echoed in postwar accounts, faulted Sumner for inadequate , failure to secure flanks, and disjointed coordination that exposed troops to ambushes, exacerbating the corps' vulnerability despite Sumner's extensive experience as the Army's oldest field commander at age 65. Recent historical analyses, however, contend that Sumner conducted feasible under constraints and that his decisions aligned with the limited available, attributing much of the disaster to the inherent risks of piecemeal attacks amid foggy conditions and Confederate reinforcements rather than personal rigidity.

Transfer to Western Theater

In January 1863, following the disastrous Union defeat at Fredericksburg and Joseph Hooker's assumption of command over the on January 26, Edwin V. Sumner requested relief from his eastern duties, citing exhaustion and organizational changes that marginalized his role. The War Department approved his transfer to the Western Theater to bolster the under William S. Rosecrans, assigning him command of its Right Grand Division with approximately 20,000 men. This move aimed to deploy Sumner's four decades of experience—spanning organization, frontier discipline, and recent corps-level command—against General Braxton Bragg's , which had stalemated Union advances after the in October 1862. The western assignment reflected strategic priorities to inject veteran oversight into Rosecrans' force, which comprised a higher proportion of less-disciplined volunteers and state units compared to the Army of the Potomac's more seasoned elements. Sumner's reputation for rigid enforcement of drill and order, honed in pre-war frontier posts and , was expected to mitigate morale and cohesion issues amid the theater's demands for sustained marches over vast distances in and . Operations in the west emphasized grand-scale maneuvers exploiting open terrain and river lines, diverging from the eastern theater's tactical slugfests in wooded, river-crossed ; Sumner's early innovations positioned him to adapt regular tactics to these broader scopes, potentially enhancing Rosecrans' pursuit capabilities against Bragg's mobile defenses. Prior criticisms of Sumner's Antietam performance—where his II Corps incurred over 3,200 casualties from sequential, unsupported assaults into the West Woods on September 17, 1862—had eroded his standing under , indirectly prompting the lateral shift to a theater needing reinforcement rather than frontline experimentation.

Tullahoma Campaign and Death

Following the reorganization of Union commands after the Battle of Fredericksburg, Major General Edwin Vose Sumner was ordered on March 9, 1863, to relieve Major General Samuel R. Curtis as commander of the Department of Missouri, a key assignment in the Western Theater aimed at bolstering Union control over trans-Mississippi operations. This transfer reflected confidence in Sumner's extensive experience, though his age and recent exertions raised concerns about his endurance for field command. However, before he could depart for St. Louis to assume duties, Sumner traveled to Syracuse, New York, to visit his daughter. On March 21, 1863, at the age of 66, Sumner succumbed to a sudden illness—reported variously as a heart attack or severe fever—while at his daughter's home on Fayette Park. Contemporary accounts attributed the fatal episode to the cumulative physical and mental strains of commanding II Corps through grueling campaigns like the and operations, compounded by his advanced years, which had already manifested in slowed reflexes and vulnerability to exhaustion during Antietam. His last words reportedly invoked patriotism: "God help my country, the of America." Sumner was interred in Syracuse's Oakwood Cemetery, where his funeral drew thousands in mourning, including local militia and civilians who honored his four-decade career from frontier skirmishes to Civil War generalship. The prompt burial in New York underscored the abrupt end to his prospective role in the West, leaving the Department of Missouri under interim leadership amid ongoing Confederate threats.

Personal Characteristics and Beliefs

Family and Personal Relationships

Edwin Vose Sumner married Hannah Wickersham Forster, the daughter of army officer William Forster, on March 31, 1822. The couple had six children: Nancy (born 1823), Margaret Forster (1828–1905), Sarah Montgomery (1831–1927), Mary Heron (1837–1906), Edwin Vose Jr. (1835–1912), and Samuel Storrow (1842–1937). Hannah managed the household during Sumner's frequent absences on frontier postings, Indian campaigns, and wartime service, providing domestic stability amid the demands of his career. Sumner's family maintained strong ties to the military tradition, with his sons Edwin Vose Jr. and Samuel Storrow both commissioning as officers and serving in the Union Army during the Civil War—Edwin Jr. rising to and Samuel to . This lineage reflected a network of familial support and shared professional ethos, as evidenced in the Sumner family papers, which include correspondence between Sumner and his sons discussing military matters and personal affairs. The family's resilience was tested by Sumner's 1847 head wound at the , where a spent ball struck his skull but failed to penetrate, earning him the enduring nickname "Bull Head" among troops and family. Sumner died in 1863 at the Syracuse home of his daughter , underscoring the enduring personal bonds that anchored his peripatetic life.

Political Views and Stance on Slavery

Sumner, a career U.S. with roots in the Jacksonian era, aligned politically with conservative Democrats who emphasized constitutional fidelity, federal authority, and Union preservation over sectional moral reforms. His stance on reflected this outlook: he regarded it as a domestic institution protected by the where legally established, subject to territorial or state determination rather than federal abolitionist interference, prioritizing prevention of national dissolution above eradicating the practice. In (1855–1858), Sumner commanded federal forces to enforce the Kansas-Nebraska Act's framework, which permitted if approved by settlers. He intervened against both pro- and anti- extremists to curb violence and anarchy, notably dispersing armed free-state militants at Lawrence in May 1856 and dissolving the unauthorized Topeka legislature in July 1856, actions under President Pierce's directive that abolitionists decried as enabling pro- aggression despite Sumner's parallel suppression of border ruffians. These measures underscored his view of the conflict as one of lawlessness threatening territorial order, not a rightful crusade against itself, with slaveholding treated as lawful pending legitimate local resolution. Sumner's conservatism extended to rejecting Republican extremism, including early emancipation proposals as unconstitutional overreaches that ignored property enshrined in the founding document and risked alienating Unionist elements in slaveholding border regions. He fought to restore the Union intact, without subordinating aims to abolition, warning that radical shifts like would extend the by eroding support among conservative Democrats and loyal slave states essential to federal victory.

Legacy and Evaluations

Military Achievements and Innovations

Edwin Vose Sumner advanced U.S. Army organization by establishing the Cavalry School of Practice at , , where he commanded the instructional program starting March 19, 1838. This initiative provided systematic training in mounted tactics, addressing prior deficiencies in specialized instruction and laying groundwork for professionalized and units. In 1855, Sumner received promotion to and assumed command of the newly organized 1st U.S. at , . This first dedicated regular regiment enhanced Army mobility for frontier patrols and expeditionary operations, influencing tactics from the Utah Expedition to early Civil War engagements. During the Mexican-American War, Sumner served in the Army of the West under Stephen W. , earning promotion to major on June 30, 1846. At the on April 18, 1847, he led a charge that contributed to the Union victory, sustaining a head wound from a musket ball that reportedly bounced off his skull, earning the nickname "Bull Head" and a brevet to for gallantry. His performance at Molino del Rey in September 1847 further merited a brevet to , supporting advances toward through effective maneuvers. These battlefield results validated his emphasis on disciplined employment, distinct from support roles.

Criticisms of Command Style and Decisions

Edwin Vose Sumner, aged 65 during the 1862 campaigns, faced criticism for a command style rooted in pre-war , characterized by rigid adherence to linear tactics and reluctance to delegate or innovate amid the Civil War's demands for flexibility and . Historians have noted his tendency toward massed assaults without adequate skirmish screens or flank , reflecting an outdated approach ill-suited to rifled muskets and entrenched defenses. This rigidity contributed to heavy and operational , as Sumner often personally intervened in subordinate actions, undermining initiative. At the on September 17, 1862, Sumner's decisions exemplified these flaws: he ordered Major General John Sedgwick's division into the West Woods without coordinating with adjacent corps or securing flanks, exposing it to a devastating Confederate from three directions that inflicted over 2,200 casualties in minutes. His failure to maintain contact with Major General William French's division and insistence on personal leadership further disorganized the assault, turning a potential into a . Similar issues arose at Williamsburg on May 5, 1862, where delayed and hesitant reinforcements prolonged an inconclusive engagement, drawing rebuke from for poor execution. Sumner's relations with superiors highlighted command tensions; McClellan distrusted his judgment, withholding II Corps from reinforcing John Pope at Second Manassas in late August 1862 and bypassing him for second-in-command during the Seven Days Battles, which complicated retreats like Savage's Station on June 29, 1862. At Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862, his Right Grand Division's frontal assaults on Marye's Heights resulted in disproportionate losses due to unyielding aggression against fortified positions. These frictions culminated in Sumner's January 1863 request for transfer to the Western Theater upon Joseph Hooker's appointment, widely viewed as reflecting doubts about his fitness for Eastern high command amid ongoing Union command overhauls.

Reassessments in Historical Scholarship

In the early , historians have reevaluated Edwin V. Sumner's military career through detailed and campaign-specific studies, emphasizing from primary documents over earlier dismissals tied to his age or tactical . Thomas K. Tate's 2013 biography underscores Sumner's foundational role in establishing the U.S. Army's regiments in the and his advocacy for mounted warfare doctrines, which provided institutional continuity into the Civil War era; Tate quantifies this legacy by noting Sumner's command of over 40 years' experience by , including frontier campaigns that honed practical leadership metrics like under duress, challenging postwar tropes of him as an obsolete "old bull." Marion V. Armstrong's 2008 analysis of the Second Corps at Antietam similarly employs archival reconnaissance reports and officer correspondences to exonerate Sumner from blame for the West Woods disaster, attributing coordination failures to ambiguous orders from rather than Sumner's initiative; Armstrong cross-references terrain maps and timestamped dispatches to demonstrate that Sumner's advance on September 17, 1862, aligned with available intelligence, countering McClellan-influenced narratives that scapegoated subordinates for incomplete battlefield execution. These reassessments frame Sumner's Union loyalty as rooted in constitutional fidelity—evident in his refusal of Southern commands despite personal opposition to immediate abolition—prioritizing preservation of federal authority over ideological alignment with Radical Republicanism; this causal emphasis on oath-bound duty, drawn from Sumner's prewar correspondence decrying as a threat to national , highlights how his enabled sustained operational reliability amid politicized army divisions.

References

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  27. https://civilwartalk.com/threads/edwin-vose-sumner.134558/
  28. https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2017/04/hannah-forster-sumner.html
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  30. https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms009221
  31. https://emergingcivilwar.com/2017/04/18/mexican-american-war-170th-battle-of-cerro-gordo/
  32. https://civilwaronthewesternborder.org/encyclopedia/topeka-constitution
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  34. https://www.historynet.com/the-ultimate-political-action-committee-2/
  35. https://www.si.edu/object/general-edwin-vose-sumner-usa-civil-war-biography-thomas-k-tate%253Asiris_sil_1049018
  36. https://www.historynet.com/cwt-book-review-unfurl-colors/
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