James Madison Cutts
Union Veteran Dead, The Washington Evening Star, Feb. 25, 1903.
Union Veteran Dead
Col. J. Madison Cutts a Victim of Disease.
PROMINENT CITIZEN
Funeral to Occur Tomorrow From St. Stephen's
Served With Distinction in the Civil War –
List of the Palbearers Selected.
The death of Colonel James Madison Cutts, who has been employed in the War Department in this city for the past twenty-one years, occurred at 6 o'clock last evening at the Emergency Hospital, to which institution he was taken last Thursday, suffering from an attack of uremia. He was taken ill and sank into a semiconscious state on a Pennsylvania avenue street car as he was returning to the War Department after lunch Thursday. He was unknown to those on the car, and was sent to the hospital, where it was decided to leave him when his identity was discovered. His wife and children were almost constantly at his bedside until death came.
The body was removed to the family residence, 534 20th street northwest, Last night. The funeral will take place tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock from St. Stephen's Catholic Church. Rev. Father O'Connell officiating. No service will be held at the house. Interment will be made in Arlington cemetery, and the pallbearers will be selected from among the members of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union Veterans' Legion and the Oldest Inhabtants' Association, with all of which organizations Colonel Cutts had been connected.
The pallbearers thus far selected are S. Thomas Brown and B. W. Reiss of the Oldest Inhabitants' Association; Mr. Womersley, Luke Kelley, John Finn, W. W. Brown, J. Elmund Brown, Nathaniel Sharsweil of Encampment No. 69, U. V. L. The representatives of the G. A. R. have not as yet been named. The services at the grave will be in charge of the Union Veteran Legion.
A Native of Washington.
James Madison Cutts was born In Washington in a house which still stands on 19th street between F and G streets north west, October 2, 1837. His grandfather, Richard Cutts, was a member of Congress from Maine for many years, and married a sister of Dolly Madison, the family residence being at the corner of Madison place and H street, on the lot now occupied by the Cosmos Club building. In this residence Colonel Cutts spent his early boyhood. His father, James Madison Cutts, was the second controller of the treasury.
Colonel Cutts prepared for college at the Academy of Georgetown University, and entered Brown University at the age of eighteen, taking a prominent place in the affairs of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity at that institution. He entered Harvard University as a law student after finishing his college course at Brown, and graduated from the law school in 1861, at the age of twenty-four.
The civil war then broke out and the young lawyer was among the first to enlist, serving as a private soldier in the 1st Rhode Island Volunteers for three months, when he was commissioned a captain of the 11th United States infantry by President Lincoln. After organizing as mustering and disbursing officer Rhode Island troops, cavalry, artillery and infantry, he was ordered to report for duty on the staff of Major General Burnside, and served on that general's staff as aid-de-camp, judge advocate, and in other staff capacities in his successive commands of the Department of North Carolina. the 9th Army Corps, the right wing of the Army of the Potomac, the Army of the Potomac, and the Department of the Ohio. During that period he was present in the battles of South Mountain, Antitam and Fredericksburg. In which his services were regarded as of a very high order of distinction.
Served With Distinction.
He thereafter served with his regiment at the Mine Run campaign of General Meade, and in the many battles of General Grant's campaign of the Wilderness, and was acting field officer, and thereafter commandled his regiment at General Grant's headquarters, City Point; Va., and at General Meade's headquarters, and in the battle of Fort Steadman, Virginia. His final service was in Louisiana, as commander of the post at Shreveport, La., with subposts at Marshall and Jefferson, Texas.
Medal of Honor Man.
He was twice brevetted for gallant and distinguished services, and was recommended for the colonelcy of one of the regiments of General Hancock's corps. Colonel Cutts was also the possessor of a medal of honor of the United States, which was given to him for distinguished services in the army. His medal is a "triple medal," in recognition of three distinct acts of extraordinary bravery. It bears the following inscription: "For gallantry at Wilderness, Spottsyivanla and Petersburg, 1864."
The only sister of Col. Cutts married Stephen A. Douglas, and during the latter's campaign against Lincoln Col. Cutts traveled about the country with him in the capacity of private secretary to Douglas. He was also at the bedside of Douglas when the latter passed away. The widow of Mr. Douglas married Gen. Robery Williams. Her death occurred about four years ago.
In 1871 Col. Cutts married Miss Mary E. Wheeler of Baltimore. At the time at his marriage he was professor of rhetoric and oratory in Seaton Halt College. at Orange City, N. J. Twenty-one years ago Col. Cutts and family moved to this city, where he had been employed ever since in the War Department -eleven years in the surgeon general's office and ten years in the office of the adjutant general.
Survived by Wife and Six Children.
Col. Cutts is survived by his wife and six children. One daughter and four sons live in Washington. Their names are Miss Mary Cutts and Arthur, Horace, James Madison, Jr., and Harold. The youngest is ten years of age. The oldest son, Leo Merritt Cutts, was a first Lieutenant of volunteers in the Spanish-American war. At the close of that conflict the young man resigned his commission and engaged in business in Samar, Philipine Islands where he is at present.
Col. Cutts was a member of the following organizations: Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Columbia Historical Society, Medal of Honor Legion, Lafayette Post, G.A.R.; Encampment, No. 69, U.V.L. and the Oldest Inhabitants' Association. He had a large circle of friends, among whom he was highly esteemed for his high character and intellectual qualities.