Sumner was born in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania on February 16, 1842. He served in the Union army during the Civil War. For much of the war he served on the staff of his father, General Edwin V. Sumner. After the war's end he stayed in the army and served in the cavalry during the Indian Wars.

When the Spanish-American War broke out in May, 1898, Sumner was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and placed in command of the 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, V Corps. He was sent to Cuba with the corps and led his brigade into action at the Battle of Las Guasimas. When Joseph Wheeler fell ill, Sumner temporarily assumed command of the Cavalry Division. He was still in command of the division when the fighting at the Battle of San Juan Hill began. However it's said that when Wheeler heard the sound of battle he rose from his sick bed and rushed to take command of the division. Sumner returned to command his brigade for the rest of the battle and in the Siege of Santiago. In September he was appointed major general of volunteers. After the war ended with Spain Sumner served as a military attaché to American Embassy in London. During the Boxer Rebellion, Summer was again in field command and led a brigade in the China Relief Expedition. He then was sent to the Philippines and commanded the 1st District, Department of Southern Luzon during the Philippine-American War. In 1902 he was appointed brigadier general in the regular army.

He continued to serve in the army until his retirement. He died on July 26, 1937 in Brookline, Massachusetts and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

BOSTON, July 26, 1937 – Major General Samuel Storrow Sumner, retired United States Cavalry officer and veteran of the Civil War, the Spanish-American Wars and the Chinese Boxer Rebellion, died at his home in Brookline today of heart disease at the age of 95.

General Sumner retired February 6, 1906.  Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.

General Sumner was the fourth oldest officer on the United States Army retired list. He was a veteran of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the Boxer Rebellion and several campaigns against the Indians, besides being former military attaché to Great Britain.

Born on February 6, 1842, he was the son of Major General Edwin Vost Sumner and Hannah Forster Sumner. Privately educated, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Second Cavalry shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War.

Distinguished conduct in action brought him promotions as a brevet First Lieutenant on June 1, 1862, at the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia; as brevet Captain on September 17, 1862at Antietam, and brevet Major on March 13, 1865, at Vicksburg.  On February 27, 1890 he received his Lieutenant Colonelcy for action against Indians at Summit Springs, Colorado.

During the Spanish-American War General Sumner commanded a cavalry brigade and then a division in Cuba.  The Silver Star Citation was awarded to him for conspicuous gallantry in action at the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898.

After serving as military attaché at London from 1899 to 1900, he commanded a brigade in China during the Boxer Rebellion. From1901 to 1902 he commanded the District of Southern Luzon in the Philippines, later the District of Northern Luzon and then the Department of Mindanao.

In 1903 he was named commander of the Department of the Missouri and the following year commander of the Southwestern Division of the Army.  From1905 until his retirement he commanded the Division of the Pacific.

Courtesy of Eugene Leache

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