Military officer; born in New York City Feb. 25, 1809; graduated at
West Point in 1833, entering the engineering corps, and becoming captain in July, 1838.
He was made major in August, 1861; lieutenantcolonel in March, 1863, and colonel, March, 1867, and was retired in 1874.
In the volunteer service he reached the rank of brigadier-general and brevet major-general during the
Civil War. He was one of the most accomplished and useful officers of engineers in the United States army, as the military works he superintended the construction of attest.
From 1845 to 1848 he was instructor of practical engineering in the
West Point Military Academy, during which time he spent two years in
Europe.
He served as aidede-camp to
General Scott in 1861, and on the staff of
General Halleck in 1862, accompanying him to
Washington.
He was an efficient member of the United States sanitary commission, and superintendent of West Point Academy from 1864 to 1866.
General Cullum published several books on military affairs, and a
Biographical register of the officers and graduates of West Point (1st ed., 1868; 2d ed., 1879; 3d ed., revised and extended, 1891). He bequeathed $250,000 for the erection of a military memorial hall at
West Point.
He died in New York, Feb. 28, 1892.