Alexander Cummings (territorial governor)

This article is about the Governor of Colorado. For the inventor, see Alexander Cummings.

Alexander Cummings
3rd Governor of the Territory of Colorado
In office 1865–1867
Preceded by	John Evans
Succeeded by	Alexander Cameron Hunt
Personal details
Born	November 17, 1810 Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Died	April 27, 1867(1867-04-27) (aged 56) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Republican
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Union Army
Rank	Colonel Bvt. Brigadier General
Commands	19th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Alexander Cummings was the third Governor of the Territory of Colorado from 1865–1867, serving as a member of the Republican Party.

Alexander Cummings was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on November 11, 1810. Cummings was a newspaperman, who founded the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin and the New York World.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Cummings used his political influence to be appointed as a special purchasing agent for the War Department. Unfortunately, Cummings wasted much of his $2,000,000 budget, and was discharged for ineptitude and profiteering. After leaving the War Department, Cummings recruited the Nineteenth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.

In February 1864, Cummings was made Superintendent of Colored Troops for the Department of Arkansas, and was brevetted to the rank of Brigadier General by President Johnson. U.S. President Andrew Johnson appointed Cummings the new Governor of the Territory of Colorado on October 17, 1865 to replace John Evans who resigned following the Sand Creek Massacre. Cummings served as Territorial Governor until April 27, 1867. Cummings died in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in June 1879.

See also

• History of Colorado
• Law and Government of Colorado

External links

• The Governors of Colorado @ Colorado.gov
  • Biography of Alexander Cummings @ Colorado.gov
• "Alexander Cummings". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 3, 2010.