Ambrose Everett Burnside was a U.S. military general, railroad executive, and political figure. He was born in Liberty, Indiana, on May 23, 1824, and was the 4th of 9 children. He was ranked 18th out of 47 in his class and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1847. During the Mexican-American War, he served as an artillery officer. In 1855, he invented the Burnside Carbine, a gun used commonly throughout the Civil War on both sides. He was also the treasurer for the Illinois Central Railroad, which was operated by his friend and former classmate George McClellan. Ambrose Everett Burnside may not have been a very successful general, for he lost a couple major battles that led to his firing, but he conducted successful campaigns
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After he rounded up a group of Rhode Island militiamen, he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run as a colonel on July 21, 1861. Following the defeat, he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers. Later that year in September, he was put in charge of an expeditionary force in North Carolina and he oversaw attacks on the coastline, claimed Roanoke Island, and took over the town New Bern, North Carolina, all of which helped the Union establish their naval blockade. During this time, he was asked to be head general of the Union twice, but he declined both times out of modesty. His next major campaign took place in Maryland, where he let the Confederates get away during the Battle of Antietam after being unable to effectively move his troops across a stone bridge, which is now known as “Burnside’s Bridge.” In November 1862, he became the commander of the Potomac Army since McClellan was fired, so he went to Richmond with his troops and was crushed in the Battle of Fredericksburg. He tried to rally his troops again the next day, but it was thwarted by bad weather. Burnside blamed other generals and told Lincoln to either fire those generals or fire him. Lincoln chose to fire Burnside. In 1863, he was assigned to the Department of Ohio, and in Tennessee he held the city Knoxville from being captured by Confederates by outmaneuvering General
After he rounded up a group of Rhode Island militiamen, he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run as a colonel on July 21, 1861. Following the defeat, he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers. Later that year in September, he was put in charge of an expeditionary force in North Carolina and he oversaw attacks on the coastline, claimed Roanoke Island, and took over the town New Bern, North Carolina, all of which helped the Union establish their naval blockade. During this time, he was asked to be head general of the Union twice, but he declined both times out of modesty. His next major campaign took place in Maryland, where he let the Confederates get away during the Battle of Antietam after being unable to effectively move his troops across a stone bridge, which is now known as “Burnside’s Bridge.” In November 1862, he became the commander of the Potomac Army since McClellan was fired, so he went to Richmond with his troops and was crushed in the Battle of Fredericksburg. He tried to rally his troops again the next day, but it was thwarted by bad weather. Burnside blamed other generals and told Lincoln to either fire those generals or fire him. Lincoln chose to fire Burnside. In 1863, he was assigned to the Department of Ohio, and in Tennessee he held the city Knoxville from being captured by Confederates by outmaneuvering General