Ambrose Burnside facts for kids
Ambrose Everett Burnside (born May 23, 1824 – died September 13, 1881) was an American soldier and politician. He became a high-ranking general for the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, he served three terms as the Governor of Rhode Island. He was also a successful inventor and businessman.
Burnside is known for leading some early Union victories in the Eastern part of the war. However, he was later given commands that were too big for his experience. He is mostly remembered for two difficult defeats: the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg. Even though an investigation cleared him for the Crater battle, he never fully regained trust as an army commander.
Burnside was a humble person who knew his own limits. He was often put into high command roles even though he didn't want them. He faced bad luck in battles and in business. For example, he lost the rights to a successful cavalry gun he had invented. His unique beard style, which connected hair in front of his ears to his mustache, became known as "sideburns" because of his name.
Contents
Growing Up
Ambrose Burnside was born in Liberty, Indiana. He was the fourth of nine children. His family had roots in Ireland and England. His father, who was from South Carolina, freed his slaves when he moved to Indiana. Ambrose went to Liberty Seminary. When his mother died in 1841, he stopped school and became a tailor, eventually becoming a partner in the business.
Before the Civil War, Burnside was engaged to Charlotte "Lottie" Moon. However, she decided not to marry him at the last minute.
Early Military Life
Burnside got into the United States Military Academy in 1843, thanks to his father's connections and his own interest in the military. He finished 18th in his class of 47 in 1847. He became a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery. He went to Veracruz for the Mexican–American War, but the fighting had already ended. He mostly worked in garrisons around Mexico City.
After the war, Lieutenant Burnside spent two years on the western frontier. He served under Captain Braxton Bragg in the 3rd U.S. Artillery. They protected mail routes through Nevada to California. In August 1849, he was wounded in the neck by an arrow during a fight with Apaches in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He was promoted to first lieutenant on December 12, 1851.
In 1852, he was sent to Fort Adams, Newport, Rhode Island. On April 27, he married Mary Richmond Bishop from Providence, Rhode Island. They were married until Mary's death in 1876, but they did not have any children.
In October 1853, Burnside left the United States Army. He was then made commander of the Rhode Island state militia with the rank of major general. He held this job for two years.
After leaving the regular army, Burnside focused on making a firearm called the Burnside carbine. The Secretary of War, John B. Floyd, made a deal with Burnside's company to buy many of these carbines for the Army. Burnside built large factories in Bristol, Rhode Island. However, another gunmaker supposedly bribed Floyd to cancel the $100,000 contract with Burnside.
Burnside ran for Congress in Rhode Island as a Democrat in 1858 but lost badly. The stress of the campaign and a fire at his factory led to him losing all his money. He had to give up the rights to his gun patents. He then moved west to find work and became the treasurer of the Illinois Central Railroad. There, he worked with and became friends with George B. McClellan, who would later be one of his commanders. Burnside also met Abraham Lincoln, who would become president, during this time.
Civil War Service
When the Civil War began, Burnside was a colonel in the Rhode Island Militia. He formed the 1st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry Regiment and became its colonel on May 2, 1861. Two companies in this regiment were armed with Burnside Carbines.
Within a month, he was given command of a brigade in Virginia. He led his brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run in July. He then temporarily took over a division when Brigadier General David Hunter was wounded. His regiment, which served for 90 days, was dismissed on August 2. Burnside was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on August 6. He was then assigned to train new brigades in the Army of the Potomac.
North Carolina Campaign
Burnside commanded the Coast Division, also known as the North Carolina Expeditionary Force, from September 1861 to July 1862. This force, made of three brigades, was the beginning of his future IX Corps. He led a successful amphibious campaign that closed more than 80% of North Carolina's coastline to Confederate ships for the rest of the war. This included the Battle of Elizabeth City on February 10, 1862.
The battle involved U.S. Navy ships against Confederate Navy ships. The Union won, taking control of Elizabeth City and its waters. The Confederate fleet was captured, sunk, or scattered.
Burnside was promoted to major general of volunteers on March 18, 1862. This was because of his victories at the battles of Roanoke Island and New Bern. These were the first important Union victories in the Eastern Theater. In July, his forces moved north to Newport News, Virginia. They became the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac.
Burnside was offered command of the Army of the Potomac after Major General George B. McClellan failed in the Peninsula Campaign. He refused because he was loyal to McClellan and knew he lacked military experience. He sent part of his corps to help Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia in the Northern Virginia Campaign.
Burnside again turned down command after Pope's defeat at Second Bull Run.
Antietam Battle
Burnside was given command of the Right Wing of the Army of the Potomac (the I Corps and his own IX Corps) at the start of the Maryland Campaign. This was for the Battle of South Mountain. However, McClellan separated the two corps at the Battle of Antietam. He placed them on opposite ends of the Union battle line. Burnside was then back to commanding only the IX Corps. Burnside did not want to give up his authority. He acted as if the corps commander was first Major General Jesse L. Reno (who died at South Mountain) and then Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox. He sent orders through them to the corps. This slow way of doing things made him slow to attack and cross what is now called Burnside's Bridge.
Burnside did not properly check the area. He also did not use several easy places to cross the river that were out of enemy range. His troops had to attack repeatedly across the narrow bridge. Confederate sharpshooters on high ground controlled the bridge. By noon, McClellan was getting impatient. He sent many messengers to tell Burnside to move forward. He ordered one aide, "Tell him if it costs 10,000 men he must go now." He put more pressure on Burnside by sending his inspector general. Burnside was upset and said, "McClellan appears to think I am not trying my best to carry this bridge; you are the third or fourth one who has been to me this morning with similar orders." The IX Corps finally broke through. But the delay allowed Major General A. P. Hill's Confederate division to arrive from Harpers Ferry. They pushed back the Union attack. McClellan refused Burnside's requests for more troops. The battle ended with no clear winner.
Fredericksburg Battle
After McClellan failed to chase General Robert E. Lee's army after Antietam, Lincoln removed McClellan on November 5, 1862. He chose Burnside to replace him on November 7, 1862. Burnside did not want this command, but he took it. He was told that if he refused, the command would go to Major General Joseph Hooker, whom Burnside did not like. Burnside took charge of the Army of the Potomac on November 9, 1862.
President Abraham Lincoln pushed Burnside to take strong action. He approved Burnside's plan on November 14 to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia. This plan led to a terrible and costly Union defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13. His army moved quickly towards Fredericksburg. But the attack was delayed because engineers were slow to set up pontoon bridges to cross the Rappahannock River. Burnside was also slow to send parts of his army across at other crossing points. This allowed General Lee to gather his forces along Marye's Heights, west of town. They easily pushed back the Union attacks.
Attacks south of town, which were supposed to be the main attack, were also poorly managed. Initial Union breakthroughs were not supported. Burnside was upset by his plan's failure and the huge number of soldiers lost in his repeated, useless frontal attacks. He said he would personally lead an attack by the IX Corps. His corps commanders convinced him not to, but relations between Burnside and his officers were tense. He took full blame and offered to leave the U.S. Army, but this was refused. Burnside's critics called him the "Butcher of Fredericksburg."
In January 1863, Burnside started a second attack against Lee. But it got stuck in winter rains before anything could be done. It was jokingly called the Mud March. After this, he asked for several officers who had openly disobeyed him to be removed and tried by a military court. He also offered to resign. Lincoln quickly accepted the resignation. On January 26, Lincoln replaced Burnside with Major General Joseph Hooker, one of the officers who had worked against Burnside.
East Tennessee Campaign
Burnside offered to leave the army completely, but Lincoln said no. Lincoln believed there was still a place for him in the army. So, Burnside was put back in charge of the IX Corps and sent to command the Department of the Ohio. This area included Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. It was a quiet area with little fighting. The President thought Burnside could not get into too much trouble there.
Burnside also dealt with Confederate raiders like John Hunt Morgan.
In the Knoxville Campaign, Burnside moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. He first went around the Confederate-held Cumberland Gap and then took Knoxville without a fight. He then sent troops back to the Cumberland Gap. Confederate commander Brigadier General John W. Frazer refused to surrender to two Union brigades. But Burnside arrived with a third, forcing Frazer and 2,300 Confederates to surrender.
Union Major General William S. Rosecrans was defeated at the Battle of Chickamauga. Burnside was then chased by Lieutenant General James Longstreet, whose troops he had fought at Marye's Heights. Burnside cleverly outmaneuvered Longstreet at the Battle of Campbell's Station. He was able to reach his defenses and safety in Knoxville. He was briefly surrounded there until the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Fort Sanders outside the city. Keeping Longstreet's corps busy at Knoxville helped Major General Ulysses S. Grant defeat General Braxton Bragg at Chattanooga. Troops under Major General William T. Sherman marched to help Burnside, but the siege had already ended. Longstreet left and eventually returned to Virginia.
Overland Campaign
Burnside was ordered to take the IX Corps back to the Eastern Theater. He built it up to more than 21,000 soldiers in Annapolis, Maryland. The IX Corps fought in the Overland Campaign in May 1864 as an independent command. It reported directly to Grant at first. His corps was not assigned to the Army of the Potomac because Burnside outranked its commander, Major General George G. Meade. Meade had been a division commander under Burnside at Fredericksburg. This awkward arrangement was fixed on May 24, just before the Battle of North Anna. Burnside agreed to give up his higher rank and was placed under Meade's direct command.
Burnside fought at the battles of Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. He did not do very well in these battles. He attacked in small groups and seemed unwilling to send his troops into the direct attacks that were common in these fights. After North Anna and Cold Harbor, he took his place in the siege lines at Petersburg.
The Crater Battle
As the two armies faced a stalemate of trench warfare at Petersburg in July 1864, Burnside agreed to a plan. A regiment of former coal miners in his corps, the 48th Pennsylvania, suggested digging a tunnel under a Confederate fort called Elliot's Salient. They would then set off explosives to create a surprise breakthrough. The fort was destroyed on July 30 in what is known as the Battle of the Crater. Because of orders from Meade, Burnside was told, just hours before the attack, not to use his division of black troops. These troops had been specially trained for the assault. Instead, he had to use untrained white troops. He could not decide which division to choose as a replacement, so he had his three commanders draw lots.
The division chosen by chance was led by Brigadier General James H. Ledlie. He failed to tell his men what they were supposed to do. During the battle, he was reported to be hiding in a bombproof shelter far behind the lines, giving no leadership. Ledlie's men went into the huge crater instead of going around it. They got trapped and were hit by heavy fire from Confederates around the edge, leading to many casualties.
Burnside was removed from command on August 14. Grant sent him on "extended leave." He was never called back to duty for the rest of the war. A court of inquiry later blamed Burnside and his officers for the Crater disaster. In December, Burnside met with President Lincoln and General Grant about his future. He was thinking about resigning, but Lincoln and Grant asked him to stay in the Army. At the end of the meeting, Burnside wrote, "I was not informed of any duty upon which I am to be placed." He finally resigned on April 15, 1865, after Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
The United States Congress Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War later cleared Burnside of blame. They said General Meade was responsible for the Union defeat at the Crater because he made the specially trained black troops be removed.
After the War
After leaving the army, Burnside worked in many railroad and industrial leadership roles. He was president of several railroads, including the Cincinnati and Martinsville Railroad and the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad. He also led the Rhode Island Locomotive Works.
He was elected as Governor of Rhode Island for three one-year terms. He served from May 29, 1866, to May 25, 1869. The Republican Party nominated him for governor in March 1866. Burnside was elected governor by a large margin on April 4, 1866. This started Burnside's political career as a Republican, as he had been a Democrat before the war.
Burnside was a member of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. This was a military group for Union officers and their families. He was also the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) veterans' group from 1871 to 1872. He also led the Department of Rhode Island of the GAR. When the National Rifle Association started in 1871, they chose him as their first president.
During a trip to Europe in 1870, Burnside tried to help make peace between the French and the Germans during the Franco-Prussian War.
In 1876, Burnside was chosen to lead the New England Battalion of the Centennial Legion. This group was made of 13 militia units from the original 13 states. They marched in a parade in Philadelphia on July 4, 1876, to celebrate 100 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In 1874, the Rhode Island Senate elected Burnside as a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. He was re-elected in 1880 and served until his death in 1881. Burnside continued to be involved with the Republican Party. He played an important role in military matters and was the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in 1881.
Death and Burial
Burnside died suddenly from "neuralgia of the heart" (Angina pectoris) on the morning of September 13, 1881. He was at his home in Bristol, Rhode Island, with only his doctor and family servants.
Burnside's body was displayed at City Hall until his funeral on September 16. A procession took his casket in a hearse pulled by four black horses to the First Congregational Church for services. Many important local people attended. After the services, the procession went to Swan Point Cemetery for burial. Businesses and factories were closed for much of the day. Thousands of mourners from all over the state and from Massachusetts and Connecticut filled the streets of Providence for the event.
Legacy
Personally, Burnside was always very well-liked by people in the army and in politics. He made friends easily, smiled a lot, and remembered everyone's name. However, his military reputation was not as good. He was known for being stubborn and not very creative. He was not suited for high command roles, and Grant said he was "unfitted" to lead an army. Burnside himself knew this best. Knowing his own limits, he twice refused command of the Army of the Potomac. He only accepted the third time when he was told the command would otherwise go to Joseph Hooker.
Sideburns
Burnside was famous for his unusual beard style. It connected strips of hair in front of his ears to his mustache, but his chin was clean-shaven. The word burnsides was created to describe this style. Later, the syllables were switched around to give us the word sideburns.
Honors
- In 1866, Allison Township in Lapeer County, Michigan, was renamed Burnside Township to honor Ambrose Burnside.
- An equestrian statue (a statue of a person on a horse) was designed by Launt Thompson. It was dedicated in 1887 at Exchange Place in Providence, facing City Hall. In 1906, the statue was moved to City Hall Park, which was renamed Burnside Park.
- Bristol, Rhode Island, has a small street named for Burnside.
- The Burnside Memorial Hall in Bristol, Rhode Island, is a two-story public building. It was dedicated in 1883 by President Chester A. Arthur and Governor Augustus O. Bourn.
- Burnside, Kentucky, a small town in south-central Kentucky, is named for the former site of Camp Burnside.
- New Burnside, Illinois, along the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad, was named after the former general. This was because of his role in helping to create the village through his leadership of the new rail line.
- Burnside Residence Hall at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston opened in 1966.
- Burnside, Wisconsin is named for the general.
Portrayals
- Burnside was played by Alex Hyde-White in Ronald F. Maxwell's 2003 film Gods and Generals. This movie includes the Battle of Fredericksburg.
See Also
In Spanish: Ambrose Burnside para niños
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
- List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)
Images for kids
-
Burnside around 1880
-
Ambrose Burnside's signature
-
Major General rank insignia
