Ambrose Burnside
A Union general whose distinctive facial hair coined a term and whose military missteps overshadowed his later political success.
1824–1881 (age 57)·American general and politician·Birthday: May 23
Biography
Ambrose Burnside is a historical figure remembered more for his failures and his whiskers than his accomplishments. A West Point graduate, he saw early action in the Civil War and was promoted to lead the Army of the Potomac after President Lincoln lost patience with General McClellan. His tenure was brief and disastrous; his hesitant tactics at the Battle of Fredericksburg resulted in a catastrophic Union defeat, one of the war's most lopsided. Relieved of command, he later served competently in the Western Theater and as a corps commander. After the war, Burnside leveraged his name recognition into a political career, serving three terms as Governor of Rhode Island and as a U.S. Senator. Yet, history indelibly links him to the slaughter at Fredericksburg and, of course, to the style of facial hair—'sideburns'—that flanked his clean-shaven chin.
#1 When Ambrose Was Born
The biggest hits of 1824
Ambrose's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1824Born
1829Started school
1837Became a teenager
1840Could drive
1842Could vote
1845Turned 21
1854Turned 30
1864Turned 40
President: Abraham Lincoln
1874Turned 50
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1881Died at 57
President: Chester A. Arthur
Key Achievements
- Served as the Governor of Rhode Island for three one-year terms (1866–1869).
- Represented Rhode Island in the United States Senate from 1875 until his death in 1881.
- Commanded the successful Burnside Expedition that captured key points on the North Carolina coast early in the Civil War.
- Was the first president of the National Rifle Association after its founding in 1871.
Did You Know?
The term 'sideburns' is derived from his surname, reversed from 'Burnsides.'
He invented a breech-loading carbine rifle that was used by Union cavalry.
Before the Civil War, he was fired from his job with the Illinois Central Railroad by his supervisor, George B. McClellan, whom he would later succeed (and precede) as commander of the Army of the Potomac.
“I have not the slightest idea of the enemy's intentions.”
