minor charges of which he was convicted. War of 1812 Cushing was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on July 2, 1812. During the War of 1812, he served as Adjutant General of the Army from July 6, 1812 to March 12, 1813. He was then assigned as commander of Military District Number 1 (consisting of the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire) with his headquarters at Boston. After the war's end, he retired from the Army on June 15, 1815. Later life In January 1816 Cushing was appointed collector of customs for the port of New London, Connecticut, succeeding Jedediah Huntington. In 1817, Cushing fought a duel with Virginia congressman William J. Lewis and was saved when the bullet struck his watch. The two resolved their differences, and Lewis, stepping up to the general, said: "I congratulate you, general, on having a watch that will keep time from eternity." Cushing died in New London in 1822. He was originally buried in the Second Burial Ground in New London but his remains were later relocated to the Cedar Grove Cemetery in the same city. Dates of rank Sergeant, 6th Continental Infantry - 1 January 1776 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Massachusetts Regiment - 1 January 1777 1st Lieutenant, 1st Massachusetts Regiment - 12 January 1778 Brevet Captain - 30 September 1783 1st Lieutenant, Jackson's Continental Regiment - November 1783 Discharged - 20 June 1784 Captain, 2nd Infantry - 4 March 1791 Captain, 2nd Sub-Legion - 4 September 1792 Major, 1st Sub-Legion - 3 March 1793 Major, 1st Infantry - 1 November 1796 Lieutenant Colonel, 2nd Infantry - 1 April 1802 Colonel, 2nd Infantry - 7 September 1805 Brigadier General, United States Army - 2 July 1812 Retired - 15 June 1815 See also List of Adjutant Generals of the U.S. Army List of Inspectors General of the U.S. Army Further reading Notes References External links Thomas H. Cushing at Find a Grave The Society of the Cincinnati The American Revolution Institute 1755 births 1822 deaths People from Pembroke, Massachusetts Adjutants general of the United States Army People from Massachusetts in the War of 1812 Continental Army officers from Massachusetts Inspectors General of the United States Army United States Army generals Burials at Cedar Grove Cemetery (New London, Connecticut)