Hon. Byron M. Cutcheon

HON. BYRON M. CUTCHEON, M.C., lawyer, soldier, statesman, was born at Pembroke, N. H., May 11, 1836. He is from one of those old and highly respected New England families, of Scotch-Irish stock, who settled in New Hampshire about 1720. The Cutcheons (or McCutcheons, as the name originally was) have lived at Pembroke since the Revolutionary war, in which the grandfather of the subject, Frederick McCutcheon, took an active part as a soldier in the cause of independence, serving four successive enlistments.

Rev. James M. Cutcheon, father of Byron M., was born at North Pembroke, and died there in 1856, having reared a family of six boys, of whom the subject was the youngest.

Byron M. Cutcheon received his earliest school training in the district school of his native town, and at the age of thirteen entered the Pembroke academy, in which he qualified himself for a teacher by the age of seventeen, and taught his first school in his native town in 1853-4. Enticed by the unfolding opportunities of the west, he left the family home while yet a boy, and in 1855 cam to Ypsilanti, Mich., where he continued his preparatory studies, spending the winters in teaching. He took charge of the Birmingham academy, in Oakland county, Mich., in 1857. After holding this position one year he entered as a student the university of Michigan, from which he graduated, taking the degree of A. B. in 1861. His college studies were interrupted by absence during three winters, which he spent teaching, earning means with which to complete his course. Having completed his college studies, his first engagement was that of principal and teacher of ancient languages, higher mathematics, etc., in the high school at Ypsilanti—a position he filled until he resigned to enter the army in 1862.

A feature of his education, which is important in determining the natural bent of mind of the subject of this sketch, was a year spent in military school at Pembroke. Being descended from a race of soldiers on both sides of the family, he chose this from natural inclination toward military life. In July, 1862, he raised a company for the Twentieth Michigan infantry, in response to the president’s call for 300,000 volunteers, and was at once mustered into the service as second lieutenant.

His career through the war was one of faithful duty, which found recognition in successive promotions up to the rank of colonel and brigadier-general by brevet "for conspicuous gallantry." He entered upon the scenes of actual war at Washington, in September 1862, when, having been promoted to the captaincy of his company, he saw the demoralized army of Gen. Pope returning form the field of the disastrous second battle of Bull Run. He was engaged in the battle at Fredericksburg, in December, 1862; Horseshoe Bend, Ky.; Vicksburg and Jackson, Miss.; Blue Springs, Hough’s Ferry, Lenoir Station, Campbell’s Station, Knoxville, Strawberry Plains, Thurley’s Ford, Bean’s Station, and other points in Tennessee, in 1863. He received the congressional medal of honor, "for distinguished bravery’ at the battle of Horseshoe Bend, Ky.

At Campbell’s Station, in November, 1863, in which action his regiment bore a conspicuous part, the subject, then major, was thrown in command of his regiment by the death of the Lieutenant-colonel, and led his regiment with such bravery and skill as to elicit the commendation of his commanding general. From this time to the end of the war his command was never less than a regiment.

From Tennessee his regiment was ordered east in the spring of 1864, when it joined the army of the Potomac, and participated in most of the memorable engagements of that army. Having been promoted to colonel, he commanded his regiment in the three days’ fighting at the Wilderness; directed the rear guard of the Ninth army corps in its movement via Chancellorsville to Spottsylvania; led the advance of the corps across the Nye river in front of Spottsylvania, his being the regiment that made the first lodgment on the crest in front of the enemy’s works. On May 10th, while leading a charge on a battery of the enemy, he was severely wounded by a fragment of a shell, which wound confined him to the hospital for nearly two months. He rejoined his command in front of Petersburg, Va., July 7, 1864, and on the 30th of July led it in the charge in the "battle of the crater," through a storm of bullets and canister that mowed down nearly half of his men. In August he took part in the three days’ fight on the Weldon railroad, on the first day of which he rallied a broken regiment under fire, taking the colors in his own hands. For this he was brevetted (by President Lincoln, on recommendation of Gen. Willcox) a colonel of the United States volunteers, "for conspicuous gallantry." Later he participated in the engagements at Ream’s Station, Poplar Springs church, Pegram Farm, Boydton Road and Hatcher’s Run. On October 16, 1864, he was assigned to the command of the Second brigade, First division, Ninth army corps, which he continued to command until mustered out of the service. Owing to very severe and long-continued sickness in his family, he resigned in March, 1865, having been brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers for gallantry in the Wilderness campaign and in operations in front of Petersburg, Va.

In the spring of 1866, Gen. Cutcheon received the appointment of state agent of the Michigan Soldiers’ Monument association, and as such made a canvass of the state. It was during this work that he, with Gen. R. A. Alger and Gen. John Robingson met at Detroit, and organized the famous "Boys in Blue," of which Gen. Cutcheon was the first president. In 1866, also, Gen. Cutcheon was appointed, by the governor, president of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home commission, and conducted the duties required by that position so satisfactorily that he received, upon presentation of the result of his work to the state legislature, a vote of thanks from that body.

After the war he retuned to Ypsilanti, where he began the study of law in the office of his brother, Hon. Sullivan M. Cutcheon, at the time speaker of the Michigan house of representatives, and who afterward held the important position of United States district attorney for the eastern district of Michigan. The general completed his legal studies in the law department of Michigan university, at Ann Arbor, graduating therefrom in March, 1866, and also receiving the degree of master of arts. His first professional location was at Ionia, in the fall of 1866, where he at once entered upon the practice of his progression, but removed in July of the following year to Manistee. Although a lawyer by profession, and not seeking preferment outside of the ranks of that calling, his reputation as a public speaker, and his knowledge of governmental affairs, brought him at once to the notice of his older political associates.

In politics he has always been a republican. At the state convention of 1866, his name was presented for secretary of state, and he came within a few votes of nomination. In the ensuing campaign, upon invitation of the state republican central committee, he was one of the speakers who canvassed the state.

Before removing to Manistee he had been appointed to the state board of railroad commissioners, apposition he continued to hold by re-appointments up to 1883, when he resigned to enter congress. In 1868 he was chosen a presidential elector from Michigan and was made secretary of the electoral college. In 1875 he was elected regent of the Michigan State university for the term of eight years, in which position he was active in promoting the welfare of that institution. He has been at different times, president, orator and poet of the alumni association of this, his alma mater. He was a member of the first city council of Manistee, and, as chairman of the ordinance committee, drafted the first code of ordinances for the city’s government. He was chosen, in 1870, city attorney; has been a member of the board of education; has held the office of prosecuting attorney of the county, and numerous other positions of trust in political, military and religious organizations. In 1877 he received the appointment from President Grant of postmaster of Manistee, holding that position until 1883, when he resigned to enter congress.

He was first elected to congress in the autumn of 1882, and held a seat in that body until March 4, 1891, elected each time by increased majorities, having been nominated and renominated four times, receiving his last election in 1888 by a plurality of 4,374. As a congressman he was a faithful, diligent, and able representative, letting his voice be heard on almost all of the great political questions of the day. He served on the committee on military affairs for eight years, and in the fifty- ?? congress was chairman of that committee taking an especially prominent part in matters affecting the interests of veteran soldiers. His speech on the president’s veto of private pension bills, delivered on the floor of congress July 9, 1886, was more largely circulated by the national congressional committee as a campaign document during the following autumn than any other speech of that session. Many bills introduced by him became laws, especially relating to the army.

At the close of his congressional career March 4, 1891, Gen. Cutcheon was appointed by President Harrison a member of the United States board of ordnance and fortification of which he continued a member until March 25, 1895. In September, 1891, he removed his residence to Grand Rapids, which is still his home. On his retirement from the board of ordnance and fortification, he was editorial writer on political and international subjects on the Detroit Daily Tribune until May, 1895, when he again returned to the practice of his profession, after twelve years in public life. Since he resumed the work of his profession has retired entirely from active politics.

In personal appearance Gen. Cutcheon is much above the average in stature, standing over six feet in height; is upright and well proportioned, presenting a commanding appearance. In public speech he is forcible and convincing, but, withal, graceful and frequently eloquent. As a debater he is logical and clear and quick at repartee. He is uniformly courteous and affable in social and business relation.

He has been a member of the Congregation church during all of his active life, taking a deep interest in its welfare, not only locally, but as a member of its state and national councils, having been a member of three triennial national councils of that church.

The general was married, June 22, 1863, to Miss Marie A. Warner, a teacher in the city schools of Ann Arbor, and a lady of thorough culture and refinement. Their family consists of five children—four sons and one daughter—namely, Frank Warner, Charles Tripp, Max Hart, Frederick Richard, and Marie Louise.

 


Transcriber: Jeri Landheer
Created: 10 September 2006