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Burnside, Ambrose Everett

The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military | 2001 | Copyright

Burnside, Ambrose Everett (1824–81) Union general, governor of Rhode Island (1866–69), and U.S. senator (1875–81), born in Liberty, Indiana. As a brigadier general of volunteers, Burnside captured Roanoke Island and New Bern on North Carolina coast; while commanding the left wing at Antietam (1862), his failure to move quickly contributed to Gen. George B. McClellan's defeat. He replaced McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac (a position he had twice declined earlier), but was relieved of command in early 1863 after the unsuccessful Fredericksburg campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee (December 1862). During the siege of Petersburg, Burnside's corps in the Army of Potomac was badly defeated at the Battle of the Crater (1864); he was blamed for the defeat by a Court of Inquiry and resigned in April 1865.

Sideburns is an alternation of Burnsides' name; he had very large sideburns himself.

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"Burnside, Ambrose Everett." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Burnside, Ambrose Everett

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

Burnside, Ambrose Everett (1824–81) US Civil War general. He participated in the First Battle of Bull Run (1861). Burnside led the Army of the Potomac in the Union defeat at Fredericksburg (1862). He was relieved of command of the 9th Corps following Petersburg (1864). After the war, he was governor of Rhode Island and a senator (1875–81).

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"Burnside, Ambrose Everett." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-BurnsideAmbroseEverett.html

"Burnside, Ambrose Everett." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-BurnsideAmbroseEverett.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	The man behind the sideburns; BILLY KENNEDY traces the mercurial career of... Newspaper article from: The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland); 10/17/2000
	Was Burnside an incompetent or a victim?(Saturday)(The Civil War) Newspaper article from: The Washington Times (Washington, DC); 9/13/1997
	General's close shave with success. Newspaper article from: Daily Mail (London); 3/26/1996