"Cumming, William, soldier, b. in Georgia about 1790; d. in Augusta, Ga., in February 1863. He studied at the Litchfield, Conn., law-school, but inherited a fortune and never practiced. He was appointed major in the 8th infantry on 25 March, 1813, and was wounded in the battle of Chrysler's Field, 11 Nov. He was made adjutant-general, with the rank of colonel, on 16 Feb., 1814, being severely wounded at Lundy's Lane on 25 July, and resigning 31 March, 1815. He declined the appointment of quartermaster-general, with the rank of brigadier-general, in April, 1818, and also that of major-general, tendered him by President Polk on 3 March, 1847. Col. Cumming was a leader of the Union party in the nullification struggle, and his quarrel with George McDuffie, of South Carolina, on this issue was notorious. The two men, attended by a long train of friends in their own equipages, rushed from one point to another in the attempt to find a place of meeting, and loudly accused each other of betraying their intentions to the officers of the law. They were widely caricatured, and their actions were watched with interest all over the country. They finally succeeded in meeting twice, and exchanged three shots, by one of which McDuffie was wounded in the hip and lamed for life."
"Cumming, William, soldier, b. in Georgia about 1790; d. in Augusta, Ga., in February 1863. He studied at the Litchfield, Conn., law-school, but inherited a fortune and never practiced. He was appointed major in the 8th infantry on 25 March, 1813, and was wounded in the battle of Chrysler's Field, 11 Nov. He was made adjutant-general, with the rank of colonel, on 16 Feb., 1814, being severely wounded at Lundy's Lane on 25 July, and resigning 31 March, 1815. He declined the appointment of quartermaster-general, with the rank of brigadier-general, in April, 1818, and also that of major-general, tendered him by President Polk on 3 March, 1847. Col. Cumming was a leader of the Union party in the nullification struggle, and his quarrel with George McDuffie, of South Carolina, on this issue was notorious. The two men, attended by a long train of friends in their own equipages, rushed from one point to another in the attempt to find a place of meeting, and loudly accused each other of betraying their intentions to the officers of the law. They were widely caricatured, and their actions were watched with interest all over the country. They finally succeeded in meeting twice, and exchanged three shots, by one of which McDuffie was wounded in the hip and lamed for life."
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