Litchfield Historical Society acquires Civil War letters

LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield Historical Society recently acquired a collection of original letters from Dr. James Russell Cumming, a surgeon with the 12th Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers from 18621865.

Born in North Adams, Mass., in 1830, Cumming studied at the Canajoharie Academy in Canajoharie, NY prior to teaching in Colebrook and Farmington, CT. He married Jane Elizabeth Cowles in 1853. The couple had one child, a daughter named Daisy, prior to his wife’s death in 1856, according to the society.

Cumming studied medicine with Dr. Holcomb of West Granby while continuing to teach, and later graduated from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1862. He entered the army from Winsted, Connecticut as an assistant surgeon in 1862 and was promoted to surgeon in 1865. He mustered out later that same year. Following the war, Cumming returned to Columbia to continue his study of general medicine. He and his daughter moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1867 where he started a general practice. In 1871 he married Anna Stillman Hubbell with whom he had two sons, Timothy Cowles Cumming, and Pierson Russell Cumming. Dr. Cumming died in 1891 and is buried at The Mountain Grove Cemetery, in Fairfield, Connecticut.

During his years in the army, Cumming served in New Orleans, Port Hudson, Brashear City, Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek. The correspondence contained in the collection consists or letters to his parents written from several cities, ships, and army camps. The letters reference food, clothing, prices, Army pay, medical procedures, skirmishes and retreats, and race among other topics. The collection also contains several military records and a tribute to Cumming from his peers following his death.

The Dr. James R. Cumming Civil War letters, along with historical notes which are the source of the information contained here, are a gift of Robert Cumming and family, direct descendants of James Russell Cumming. Robert Cumming provided the Society with a transcription of the correspondence, which may be obtained upon request.

A finding aid detailing the collection’s contents is in progress here: https://archives.prod.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/repositories/2/resources/1324.

For more information about the society or other programs and events, please visit www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org or call 860-567-4501.