Cutcheon was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire May 11, 1836 but his parents died and he became an orphan at a young age. He worked in a cotton mill in Pembroke to earn money so he could attend school and at the age of 13, he began attending Pembroke Academy. At the age of 17, he was a teacher in the same school but in 1855, he moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan, continuing to study and teach.
He resigned his school post to enlist in the Union Army following the outbreak of the American Civil War and raised a company for the Twentieth Regiment, Michigan Infantry who mustered him into service as a Second Lieutenant. On July 29, 1862, he was made captain of his company and on October 14, 1862, he was made major of the Twentieth Regiment. On November 16, 1863, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and by order of the U.S. War Department, he was made colonel on November 21, 1863. He was transferred and made Colonel of the Twenty-seventh Michigan Infantry, November 12, 1864. He was mustered into the United States service as colonel, December 19, 1864, and was brevetted colonel of U. S. Volunteers, August 18, 1864, for gallant services at the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. During his service in the American Civil War he was in the battles of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Horseshoe Bend, Kentucky; the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi; the Assault on Jackson, Mississippi; the battles of Blue Springs, Tennessee; London, Tennessee; Campbell's Station, Tennessee; the Siege of Knoxville, Tennessee; the Assault on Fort Saunders, at Knoxville; Thurley's Ford, Tennessee; Strawberry Plains, Tennessee; Chuckey Bend; Wilderness (for actions during which he would later be awarded the Medal of Honor); Ny River; Spottsylvania Court House (in which he was wounded, while leading a charge of the Twentieth Michigan and Fifty-first Pennsylvania). He remained at the hospital about two months. For gallant conduct on this occasion he received a commission as brevet colonel. He was next in the Siege of Petersburg, July, 1864, the Weldon Railroad, Reams Station, Virginia; Poplar Spring Church, Virginia; Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, and the siege of Petersburg, from November 1864, to March 1865. On October 16, 1864, he was assigned the command of the Second Brigade, Fifteenth Division Ninth Army Corps, and remained in command of that brigade until March 6, 1865, when he resigned on account of sickness in his family. He was brevetted brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers, March 13, 1865, for conspicuous gallantry on the field of battle.

Q: What role did he play in the civil war?
A: Michigan Infantry who mustered him into service as a Second Lieutenant.

Q: What else did he do in the war?
A: He was transferred and made Colonel of the Twenty-seventh Michigan Infantry, November 12, 1864.
What battles was he in?
During his service in the American Civil War he was in the battles of Fredericksburg, Virginia; brevetted colonel of U. S. Volunteers, August 18, 1864, for gallant services at the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. During his service in the American Civil War he was in the battles of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Horseshoe Bend, Kentucky; for gallant services at the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. battles of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Horseshoe Bend, Kentucky; the Siege of Vicksburg,
battles of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Horseshoe Bend, Kentucky; the Siege of Vicksburg,