Sumner Carruth was an officer in the volunteer army of the United States during the American Civil War. He commanded the 35th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and eventually rose to the command of two different brigades in the IX Corps. Pre-War Carruth was born on December 22, 1834 in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. He worked as a machinist. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a militia officer. His company, the Chelsea Light Infantry, was mustered into the federal service as Company H of the 1st Massachusetts Infantry in 1861. 1st Lt. Carruth was credited with the leading role in persuading the company to volunteer. Civil War Service On May 22, 1861, Carruth, became captain of Company H by election. He first saw combat at First Bull Run in the brigade of Col. Israel B. Richardson. Carruth next served in the Army of the Potomac during the Peninsula Campaign. The regiment was in the III Corps in the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. Carruth was present at the Battle of Yorktown (1862), where his company distinguished itself. The company also fought at the Battle of Williamsburg. Carruth was wounded in the arm at the Battle of Seven Pines, apparently missing the subsequent battles of the Peninsula Campaign. Carruth returned to the field as a major in the newly organized 35th Massachusetts Infantry, commissioned at that rank on August 21, 1862. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel on August 27 of that year. The regiment served in IX Corps in the division of Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis. Carruth was present at the Battle of South Mountain, where the commander, Col. Edward A. Wild was wounded. Carruth succeeded to command, but he was wounded at the Battle of Antietam near Burnside’s Bridge. Carruth was captured at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia on November 11, 1862, missing the Battle of Fredericksburg. After being exchanged, Carruth next served in IX Corps in the Department of the Ohio. He became colonel of his regiment on May 1, 1863 and served with the corps in the Siege of Vicksburg, as well as in Eastern Tennessee. Carruth led the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, IX Corps from February 2 to March 3, 1864, before the Corps was transferred back to Virginia. In Virginia, he led the same brigade in April 1864. Then he led 1st brigade, 1st division, IX Corps from April 25