Ambrose Burnside

Ambrose Burnside
Burnside c. 1880
United States Senator from Rhode Island
In office March 4, 1875 – September 13, 1881
Preceded by	William Sprague IV
Succeeded by	Nelson W. Aldrich
30th Governor of Rhode Island
In office May 29, 1866 – May 25, 1869
Lieutenant	William Greene Pardon Stevens
Preceded by	James Y. Smith
Succeeded by	Seth Padelford
Personal details
Born	Ambrose Everett Burnside May 23, 1824 Liberty, Indiana, U.S.
Died	September 13, 1881(1881-09-13) (aged 57) Bristol, Rhode Island, U.S.
Cause of death	Angina
Resting place	Swan Point Cemetery Providence, Rhode Island
Political party	Democratic (1858–1865) Republican (1866–1881)
Spouse	Mary Richmond Bishop ​ ​ (m. 1852; died 1876)​
Education	United States Military Academy
Profession	Soldier, inventor, industrialist
Signature
Nickname	Burn
Military service
Allegiance	United States (Union)
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1847–1865
Rank	Major General
Commands	Army of the Potomac Army of the Ohio
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War American Civil War First Battle of Bull Run Burnside's North Carolina Expedition Battle of Roanoke Island Battle of New Bern Maryland Campaign Battle of South Mountain Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Morgan's Raid Knoxville Campaign Overland Campaign Battle of the Wilderness Battle of Spotsylvania Court House Battle of North Anna Battle of Cold Harbor Siege of Petersburg Battle of the Crater

Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three-time Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor and industrialist.

He was responsible for some of the earliest victories in the Eastern theater, but was then promoted above his abilities, and is mainly remembered for two disastrous defeats, at Fredericksburg and the Battle of the Crater (Petersburg). Although an inquiry cleared him of blame in the latter case, he never regained credibility as an army commander.

Burnside was a modest and unassuming individual, mindful of his limitations, who had been propelled to high command against his will. He could be described as a genuinely unlucky man, both in battle and in business, where he was robbed of the rights to a successful cavalry firearm that had been his own invention. His spectacular growth of whiskers became known as "sideburns", deriving from the two parts of his surname.