General Ambrose Burnside is number 9 on our famous folks top 10 list of Civil War Generals. Here are ten more details about his life:
- Burnside served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1866-1869.
- He was a successful businessman and inventor, holding several patents for his inventions.
- Burnside led a failed expedition to relieve Union forces at the siege of Petersburg, Virginia in 1864.
- He fought in several battles during the Civil War, including the Battle of Antietam.
- Burnside was known for his distinctive facial hair, which became known as sideburns and were named after him.
- He helped organize and train the first black soldiers to fight in the Union Army.
- Burnside served as a Republican Congressman from Indiana from 1847-1849.
- Burnside was a strong advocate for railroad expansion and helped secure funding for the expansion of the Newport and Cincinnati Railroad.
- He was a close friend of Abraham Lincoln and served as a pallbearer at his funeral.
- After the Civil War, Burnside served as a railroad executive and helped modernize the nation’s rail transportation system.
After the civil war for General Ambrose Burnside
After the war, Burnside continued to have a successful career. He worked as a railroad executive and was also involved in politics. He served as the governor of Rhode Island and was a senator in the U.S. Congress. He was also an inventor, who patented a new type of breech-loading rifle.
Burnside was known for his distinctive appearance, which included a bushy mustache and sideburns that became known as “burnsides.” He was a man of great integrity and was respected by both his fellow soldiers and the public. Despite his many achievements, he was a humble man and always put others before himself.
Here is the bibliography for Civil War Generals for this micro biography.