Cutts, James Madison, 1837-1903

Cutts was born in Washington D.C. on October 20, 1837, the son of James Madison Cutts, an official of the U.S. Treasury Department, and Ellen Elisabeth O'Neal, the sister of Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Cutts' sister Adele was the second wife of US Senator Stephen A. Douglas. Cutts was the grandson of congressman Richard Cutts, whose wife Anna was the sister of First Lady Dolley Madison. He attended Georgetown Preparatory School, graduated from Brown University in 1856, and received his LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1861.

At the start of the American Civil War, Cutts enlisted with the 1st Rhode Island Infantry. Six weeks later, in May 1861, he was appointed as a Captain in the newly created 11th Infantry Regiment. Burnside appointed Cutts as a judge advocate where he served as the prosecutor of Clement Vallandigham. While serving on the staff of Ambrose Burnside in 1863, Cutts was charged with conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman after he allegedly committed several offenses, including criticizing Burnside in letters to the president, constantly arguing with his fellow officers, and attempting to view a married woman dressing in the hotel room next to his by peering over the transom. His appeal reached President Lincoln, who approved the convictions, but reduced the punishment to a written reprimand. Lincoln then wrote Cutts a letter, likely presented in person, indicating that he was sure the "peeping" offense would not be repeated, and urging Cutts to attain his full potential by demonstrating the self-control necessary to avoid pointless quarrels with his peers and superiors. Cutts is reported to have been so chastened that he resolved to reclaim his reputation through battlefield heroism.

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