[1] Born in Sandwich, England to a Naval family, he was the third son to James Cumming, A Lieutenant of Greenwich Hospital.

Cumming, being the only other officer ashore within a close distance, became Byron's reference to the natives' supposed enormous size, due in part to his own tall stature.

[5] In April, 1765 Cumming was transferred and promoted to Commander of HMS Tamar, the Dolphin's consort ship.

He was present during the Battle of St. Lucia, commanding HMS Aurora as part of Samuel Barrington's convoy against the French attempt to re-take the island.

[10] Cumming was not commissioned again until 1793, when he commanded HMS Resolution (74) during the early period of the French Revolutionary Wars.