BURNSIDE, Ambrose Everett, American soldier: b. Liberty, Ind., 23 May 1824; d. Bris tol, R. I., 13 Sept. 1881. He served an appren ticeship to a tailor, but received a nomination to West Point, Where he was graduated in 1847. After serving some years in garrison duty, he left the army as first lieutenant in 1852, and from 1853 to 1858 was engaged in the man ufacture of firearms at' Bristol, R. I., during this period, in 1856, inventing the Burnside breech-loading rifle. On the outbreak of the Civil War (q.v.) in 1861, he returned to the army as colonel of volunteers, serving from May to August of that year as colonel of the Rhode Island Volunteers, and as such taking part in the first battle of Bull Run (q.v.). On 6 August he was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers and from October 1861 to January 1862 supervised the organization of the °Coast Division* of the Army of the Potomac. From January to July 1862 he commanded the De partment of North Carolina; in February cap tured Roanoke Island, occupied Newbern, N. C. and took Fort Macon, Beaufort. He was raised to the rank of major-general of volunteers on 18 March 1862 and placed in command of the troops that subsequently constituted the 9th Army Corps. In July 1862 and again after the second battle of Bull Runl(q.v.) he was offered
the command of the Army of Virginia which, after the battle of Bull Run, had been merged into the Army of the Potomac, but each time declined the offer and served with the 9th Army Corps under McClellan. In this capacity he participated in the Maryland campaign (q.v.) against Lee, rendering important services in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam (qq.v.), in the latter action on 17 September command ing the left wing. On 10 November of that year he superseded General McClellan in com mand of the Army of the Potomac. On 13 December he crossed the Rappahannock and attacked General Lee near Fredericksburg, but was repulsed with a loss of over 10,000 men, and was soon after transferred to the Depart ment of Ohio. In November 1863 he success fully held Knoxville against a superior force, and in 1864 he led a corps, under General Grant, through the battles of the Wilderness and Cold Harbor. Resigning in April 1865, he was elected of Rhode Island (1866-68), and nited States senator in 1875 and 1881. Con sult Poore, 'Life and Public Services of Am brose E. Burnside' (Providence 1882) ; Wood bury, 'Major General Burnside and the Ninth Army Corps' (Providence 1867).