Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734June 1, 1832) was a soldier in the Colony of Virginia

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

; a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

militia during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

, a planter, and a politician. After the United States gained independence, he was elected to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

, where he served from 1801 to 1810, when he retired. Sumter was nicknamed the "Fighting Gamecock" for his fierce fighting style against British soldiers after they burned down his house during the Revolution.

Early life

Thomas Sumter was born in

Hanover County Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover Courthouse. Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region. History Located in the wester ...

in the Colony of Virginia. His father, William, was a miller and former indentured servant, while his mother, Patience, was a midwife. Most of Thomas Sumter's early years were spent tending livestock and helping his father at the mill, not in school. Given just a rudimentary education on the frontier, the young Sumter served in the Virginia militia, where he was present for

Edward Braddock Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe ...

's defeat.

The Timberlake Expedition

At the end of the

Anglo-Cherokee War The Anglo-Cherokee War (1758–1761; in the Cherokee language: the ''"war with those in the red coats"'' or ''"War with the English"''), was also known from the Anglo-European perspective as the Cherokee War, the Cherokee Uprising, or the Cherok ...

, in 1761, Sumter was invited to join what was to become known as the "Timberlake Expedition", organized by Colonel

Adam Stephen Adam Stephen ( – 16 July 1791) was a Scottish-born American doctor and military officer who helped found what became Martinsburg, West Virginia. He emigrated to North America, where he served in the Province of Virginia's militia under Georg ...

and led by Henry Timberlake, who had volunteered for the assignment. The purpose of the expedition was to visit the

Overhill Cherokee Overhill Cherokee was the term for the Cherokee people located in their historic settlements in what is now the U.S. state of Tennessee in the Southeastern United States, on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains. This name was used by 1 ...

towns and renew friendship with the Cherokee People following the war. The small expeditionary party consisted of Sumter (who was partially financing the venture with borrowed money), Timberlake, an interpreter named John McCormack, and a servant. According to Timberlake's journal, at one point early in the nearly year and a half long journey, Sumter swam nearly a half-mile in the icy waters to retrieve their canoe, which had drifted away while they were exploring a cave. The party arrived in the Overhill town of Tomotley on December 20, where they were greeted by the town's head man, Ostenaco (or "Mankiller") and soon found themselves participants in a

peace pipe A ceremonial pipe is a particular type of smoking pipe, used by a number of cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas in their sacred ceremonies. Traditionally they are used to offer prayers in a religious ceremony, to make a ceremonial ...

ceremony. In the following weeks, Sumter and the group attended peace ceremonies in several Overhill towns, such as Chota, Citico, and Chilhowee. The party returned to

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is ...

, accompanied by several Beloved Men of the Cherokee, arriving on the James River in early April 1762. While in Williamsburg, Ostenaco professed a desire to meet the king of England, and in May 1762, Sumter traveled to England with Timberlake and three distinguished Cherokee leaders, including Ostenaco. Arriving in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in early June, the Indians were an immediate attraction, drawing crowds all over the city.''St James Chronicle'', July 3, 1762. The three Cherokee then accompanied Sumter back to America, landing in South Carolina on or about August 25, 1762.

Imprisonment for debt

Sumter became stranded in South Carolina due to financial difficulties. He petitioned the Virginia Colony for reimbursement of his travel expenses, but was denied. Subsequently, Sumter was imprisoned for debt in Virginia. When his friend and fellow soldier, Joseph Martin, arrived in Staunton, Martin asked to spend the night with Sumter in jail. Martin gave Sumter ten

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...

and a tomahawk. Sumter used the money to buy his way out of jail in 1766. When Martin and Sumter were reunited some thirty years later, Sumter repaid the money.

Family life and business

Sumter settled in

Stateburg, South Carolina Stateburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. St ...

, in the Claremont District (later the Sumter District) in the

High Hills of Santee The High Hills of Santee, sometimes known as the High Hills of the Santee, is a long, narrow hilly region in the western part of Sumter County, South Carolina. It has been called "one of the state's most famous areas".planters.

American Revolutionary War

Sumter raised a local militia group in Stateburg. In February 1776, Sumter was elected lieutenant colonel of the Second Regiment of the South Carolina Line of which he was later appointed colonel. in 1780 he was appointed brigadier general, a post he held until the end of the war. He participated in several battles in the early months of the war, including the campaign to prevent an invasion of Georgia. Perhaps his greatest military achievement was his partisan campaigning, which contributed to

Lord Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as the Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United S ...

' decision to abandon the Carolinas for Virginia. During fighting in August 1780, he defeated loyalist and

British Regulars {{no footnotes, date=August 2015 Commonly used to describe the Napoleonic era British foot soldiers, the British Regulars were known for their distinct red uniform and well-disciplined combat performance. Known famously in British folklore as the ' ...

at Hanging Rock ( Lancaster County, South Carolina), and intercepted and defeated an enemy convoy. Later, however, his regiment was almost annihilated by forces led by

Banastre Tarleton Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB (21 August 175415 January 1833) was a British general and politician. He is best known as the lieutenant colonel leading the British Legion at the end of the American Revolution. He later served in Portu ...

. He recruited a new force, defeated Major James Wemyss in November, and repulsed an attack by Tarleton, in which he was wounded. Sumter was carried into the Blackstock house, where his surgeon, Dr. Nathaniel Abney, probed for and extracted the ball from under his left shoulder.(17) Sumter acquired the nickname "Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution, for his fierce fighting tactics. After the

Battle of Blackstock's Farm The Battle of Blackstock's Farm, an encounter of the American Revolutionary War, took place in what today is Union County, South Carolina, a few miles from Cross Anchor, on November 20, 1780. Background After the defeat of Major Patrick Fergu ...

, British Lieutenant Colonel

commented that Sumter "fought like a gamecock", and Cornwallis described the Gamecock as his "greatest plague".

Political career

After the Revolutionary War, Sumter was elected to the

, serving from March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1793, and from March 4, 1797, to December 15, 1801. He later served in the

, having been selected by the legislature to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator

Charles Pinckney Charles Pinckney may refer to: * Charles Pinckney (South Carolina chief justice) (died 1758), father of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney * Colonel Charles Pinckney (1731–1782), South Carolina politician, loyal to British during Revolutionary War, fa ...

. Sumter resigned from his seat in the Senate on December 16, 1810.

Death

SC Revolutionary War generals monument in Columbia IMG 4797

Sumter died on June 1, 1832, at his plantation, South Mount, near

, at ninety-seven years old. Sumter was the last surviving American general of the Revolutionary War. He is buried at the Thomas Sumter Memorial Park in Sumter County, South Carolina.

Family

Thomas' son, Thomas Sumter Jr., served in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

from 1810 to 1819 as the United States Ambassador to the Portuguese Court during its exile to

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Thomas Jr.'s wife,

Natalie De Lage Sumter Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...

(' Nathalie de Lage de Volude), was a daughter of French nobility, sent by her parents to America for her safety during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

. She was raised in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

from 1794 to 1801 by Vice President Aaron Burr as his ward, alongside his own daughter Theodosia. His grandson, Colonel Thomas De Lage Sumter, served in the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole War, and later represented South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives. Sumter's older brother, William Sumter, was a captain in the Revolutionary War. Arkansas state legislator and military colonel, John J. Sumpter, was a great grandson of Capt. William Sumter and therefore great-grand-nephew of Sumter.

Namesakes

The city of Sumter, South Carolina, originally incorporated as Sumterville in 1845, was named for Thomas Sumter. The city has erected a memorial to him, and has been dubbed "The Gamecock City" after his nickname. Prior to being renamed Sumter County in 1868, Sumter District was commonly referred to as the "Old Gamecock District". The use of this nickname continued after the name change, with the county thereafter being called the "Old Gamecock County". Counties in four states are named for Sumter: * Sumter County, South Carolina *

Sumter County, Florida Sumter County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population is 129,752. It has the oldest median age (68.3 years) of any US county and the highest percentage of residents aged 65 ...

* Sumter County, Georgia * Sumter County, Alabama The unincorporated community of Sumterville, Florida, the former seat of

, is also named for Thomas Sumter.

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a sea fort built on an artificial island protecting Charleston, South Carolina from naval invasion. Its origin dates to the War of 1812 when the British invaded Washington by sea. It was still incomplete in 1861 when the Battle ...

Charleston Harbor The Charleston Harbor is an inlet (8 sq mi/20.7 km²) of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley and Cooper rivers at . Morris and Sullivan's Islands shelter the entrance. Charleston ...

, a fort planned after the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

, was named in his honor. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter. Sumter's nickname, "Fighting Gamecock", has become one of several traditional nicknames for a native of South Carolina. For example, the University of South Carolina's official nickname is the "Gamecocks". Since 1903, the college's teams have been simply known as the "

South Carolina Gamecocks The South Carolina Gamecocks represent the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Division I. The University of South Carolina uses "Gamecocks" as its official nickname and mascot. While the men's teams were traditionally known as the Fighti ...

". The costumed mascot of the University is referred to as Cocky, short for "Gamecock". Other schools within South Carolina have been named after Sumter or utilize a Gamecock as their mascot. *The mascot of Sumter High School is a "Gamecock" and the school's sports teams refer to themselves as the "Sumter High Gamecocks" in honor of Sumter. *Thomas Sumter Academy, a private school within Sumter County, was founded in 1964. Their mascot is known as "the General" but does not visually resemble Thomas Sumter and is typically depicted as wearing a Civil War era uniform. In August of 2022, it was announced that the University of South Carolina's live rooster mascot, "Sir Big Spur" was being renamed "The General" in honor of Thomas Sumter after legal dispute arose regarding the previous name. Three days after the announcement, the past and present owners of the live mascot reached an agreement and changed its name back to "Sir Big Spur".

References

17. Oscar E. Gilbert and Catherine R. Gilbert, page 194. ISBN 978-1-61200-328-3, ''True for the Cause of Liberty: The Second Spartan Regiment in the American Revolution''

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumter, Thomas 1734 births 1832 deaths People from Hanover County, Virginia Virginia colonial people Anti-Administration Party members of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina Democratic-Republican Party United States senators from South Carolina American planters American slave owners High Hills of Santee People from Stateburg, South Carolina 19th-century American politicians People of Virginia in the French and Indian War Militia generals in the American Revolution People of South Carolina in the American Revolution United States senators who owned slaves