Thomas Sumter | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Rembrandt Peale (c. 1795) | |
| United States Senator from South Carolina | |
| In office December 15, 1801 – December 16, 1810 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Pinckney |
| Succeeded by | John Taylor |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1797 – December 15, 1801 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Winn |
| Succeeded by | Richard Winn |
| In office March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Richard Winn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 14, 1734 Hanover County, Virginia Colony |
| Died | June 1, 1832 (aged 97) Near Stateburg, South Carolina |
| Resting place | Thomas Sumter Memorial Park, Sumter County, South Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican Party |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain  United States |
| Branch/service | Virginia militia Continental Army |
| Years of service | Virginia militia (1755) Continental Army (1776–1781) |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands | 2nd South Carolina Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734 – June 1, 1832) was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served in the Continental Army as a brigadier-general during the Revolutionary War. After the war, Sumter was elected to the House of Representatives and to the Senate, where he served from 1801 to 1810, when he retired. Sumter was nicknamed the "Fighting Gamecock" for his military tactics during the Revolutionary War.