Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, gunsmith and politician. He was born in 1824 and died in 1881. A graduate of West Point in 1847 he was commander of the Army of the Potomac, before inventing a breech-loading rifle and retiring from the army to engage in business before becoming a Republican governor of Rhode Island from 1866 until 1868 and a US Senator for Rhode Island from 1875 until 1881. During the American Civil War he led a brigade at the first battle of Bull Run and in 1862 was placed in command of an expedition to North Carolina. Research Ambrose E. Burnside
ClementLaird Vallandighma was an American lawyer and politician. Je was born in 1822 and died in 1871. A lawyer and active Democratic politician in Ohio, he served in the Legislature of that State, and was Congressman from 1857 until 1863. He bitterly opposed the Government as the American Civil War progressed, and became noted as the most extreme of Northern sympathizers with the Confederacy. General Ambrose E. Burnside arrested him, and he was banished. From the Confederate States he went to Canada, and while there was nominated for Governor by the Ohio Democrats in 1863. He was defeated by Brough by a majority of 100,000. The following year he was a member of the Democratic National Convention. Research Clement Vallandigham
Jesse L Reno was an American soldier. He was born in 1823 and died in 1862. As a general he served at Contreras, Churubusco, Chapultepec and Vera Cruz during the Mexican War. He commanded a brigade in Ambrose E. Burnside's North Carolina expedition at Roanoke Island, Fort Barton and New Berne. He commanded a corps under General Pope at Manassas and at South Mountain, where he was killed while leading an assault. Research Jesse Reno
Joseph Hooker was an American soldier. He was born in 1814 at Massachusetts and died in 1879. Educated at West Point, he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel for his gallant service during the Mexican War from 1846 until 1848. He was appointed a brigadier-general of the National forces in 1861, and commanded a division in 1862 in the Army of the Potomac. He was brevetted major-general for services at Yorktown, Williamsburg and Malvern Hill. He had important commands at South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. In 1863 he succeeded Ambrose E. Burnside in command of the Army of the Potomac, and conducted the Battle of Chancellorsville, but, being unsuccessful, was soon after succeeded by General George Meade. He was assigned command in the Army of the Cumberland, and fought at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. He accompanied Sherman in his march through Georgia until the siege of Atlanta. He was brevetted major-general in the regular army in 1865, and retired in 1868. Research Joseph Hooker
The Battle of Campbell's Station occurred on the 16th of November 1863 during the American Civil War, between James Longstreet leading about 35000 Confederates, and Ambrose E. Burnside at the head of a slightly smaller number of Union soldiers. Bragg, under orders from Richmond, had ordered James Longstreet to proceed against Ambrose E. Burnside. This James Longstreet found some difficulty in doing, for his troops were in a deplorable condition for want of clothing and provisions. Nevertheless he started in pursuit of the Federal leader, who slowly retreated toward Knoxville. At Campbell's Station James Longstreet came up with him and Ambrose E. Burnside turned upon them, firing at long range as the Confederates advanced over the undulating ground. Unheeding the bullets the Confederates pressed forward until at close range. Then they opened fire, raking the Federal lines. Ambrose E. Burnside was forced after a brief fight to retire to Knoxville, where James Longstreet followed him and beleaguered the town. Research Battle of Campbell's Station
The Battle of Cold Harbor was several battles between the Federals and Confederates under Ulysses Simpson Grant and Robert E Lee, fought irregularly during twelve days, from June the 1st to June the 12th, 1864, during the American Civil War while Ulysses Simpson Grant was attempting his famous campaign against Richmond.
Lee held the vicinity of Cold Harbor with about 100,000 men, having thrown up hasty fortifications. Ulysses Simpson Grant had 120,000 troops. Philip Sheridan advanced to Cold Harbor on the 31st of May.
On June the 1st the Sixth Corps and Smithes troops began the attack by endeavouring to take the Confederate fortifications. The assault was ineffectual, the Federals being repulsed with heavy loss.
On June the 2nd rain prevented battle, so the day was passed on both sides in arranging the lines.
On June the 3rd Robert E Lee's position had been immensely strengthened by slashes and rifle trenches. Philip Sheridan's cavalry guarded the crossing of the Chickahominy, and Wilson watched the Confederates' right. Early in the morning the Federals advanced upon the Confederate entrenchments. Hancock's corps forced the enemy from their front, and with Wright, Smith and Warren made vigorous assaults upon the impregnable earthworks. Ambrose E. Burnside failed to come to their aid. Several regiments, however, mounted the parapets and placed their banners upon them. Many of the bravest Federal officers lost their lives. The last assault lasted half an hour, and then the Federals retired. For ten days the armies lay idle, their sharpshooters picking off many men. During the battles the Federals lost 10,000 troops and the Confederates 8000. Research Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia was fought on December 13th, 1862 during the American Civil War. Ambrose E. Burnside had been appointed to the command of the Army of the Potomac on November the 7th. He resolved to make a direct march on Richmond, and moved his troops to the heights opposite Fredericksburg, on the north side of the Rappahannock. His force numbered about 125,000. The right was commanded by Sumner, the centre by Joseph Hooker, the left wing by Franklin. The army of Robert E Lee, 80,000 in number, was strongly entrenched on the heights behind Fredericksburg, the right being commanded by Jackson, the left by James Longstreet. A road connected these wings. A stone wall ran along the foot of the heights between the left wing and the town.
The Federal forces crossed the river by three pontoon bridges during the two days preceding the battle. Ambrose E. Burnside's plan was that Franklin should make the chief attack and seize the road, and that Sumner and Joseph Hooker should then carry the stone wall and the heights behind it. Franklin did not employ enough troops to effect the object assigned him. Sumner's troops attacked the fortifications on Marye's Heights with great bravery and persistency, but were finally repulsed with great slaughter at the stone wall. The assault made by Joseph Hooker's forces at another portion of the wall was also repulsed with terrible slaughter, lacking support from Franklin. Despite repulsing the Federals, the Confederates under Robert E Lee was unable to follow up the advantage. The Federal loss in the battle was 12,800, the Confederate 4300. Two days later Ambrose E. Burnside withdrew from Fredericksburg. On the thirtieth he and Franklin were relieved of their commands. Research Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of the Wilderness was fought during the American Civil War, on May the 5th and 6th, 1864, in a densely thicketed woodland known as the Wilderness, in north-east Virginia. The engagement involved the Army of Northern Virginia, about 62,000 troops under the Confederate general , and the Army of the Potomac, about 115,000 troops under the Union general George Meade. The Union commander in chief, Ulysses Simpson Grant, directed Meade's command during the fighting. Determined to sever Robert E Lee's lines of communication with Richmond, capital of the Confederacy, Ulysses Simpson Grant sent his army across the Rapidan River during the night of May the 3rd, with the intention of moving through the Wilderness into battle positions under cover of darkness. Transport failure kept the Union army in the forest throughout May the 4th. On the morning of May the 5th, Robert E Lee prepared to attack. Planning to flank the Union line, Robert E Lee marched on Ulysses Simpson Grant's forces with two infantry corps, under the Confederate generals Richard Stoddert Ewell and Ambrose Powell Hill. Robert E Lee delayed going into action until another infantry corps, under James Longstreet, could be brought up to support Ewell and Hill. Informed of Robert E Lee' s preparations, Ulysses Simpson Grant took the initiative and attacked first. Two Union infantry corps opened the battle with an attack against Ewell, and one remained temporarily in reserve; a fourth corps, under the command of General Ambrose E. Burnside, was located too far north of the battlefield to be brought immediately into action. Communication difficulties split the battle into disjointed engagements.
The terrain precluded effective use of cavalry or artillery. The infantry fighting, much of it hand to hand, was declared by Ulysses Simpson Grant to be the hardest he had ever seen. The forest caught fire, burning many men to death. In the action on May the 5th, the Confederate forces under Ewell and Hill repulsed Union forces in the morning. In the afternoon the Union reserve corps under Winfield Scott Hancock attacked Hill's forces, inflicting heavy Confederate losses in a four hour fight with the firing lines only about 45 meters apart. The Union assault ended, however, without success. On May the 6th, Ulysses Simpson Grant renewed the Union drive against Hill, with Hancock attacking again while the other two Union corps blocked Ewell. Hill's defeat appeared certain until James Longstreet's corps saved the Confederate situation.
Ambrose E. Burnside, coming to help Hancock with Union reinforcements, arrived too late because of the difficult terrain. The two-day battle ended at nightfall without a decisive outcome. During the night of May the 6th, Philip Sheridan, commanding a Union cavalry corps, fought to some advantage against a Confederate cavalry corps of two divisions led by James Ewell Brown Stuart, but the action was inconsequential. The true significance of the Wilderness lay in what happened after the fighting. Although the Union forces had suffered some 17,500 casualties to the Confederacy's 7000, Ulysses Simpson Grant, instead of retreating, moved south toward Spottsylvania and engaged in another battle there, demonstrating for the first time that his army would be willing to fight every day and suffer tremendous casualties in order to wear down and destroy Robert E Lee's army. Research Battle of the Wilderness
The Siege of Knoxville, Tennessee occurred during the American Civil War. Knoxville was occupied by Ambrose E. Burnside with a strong Federal force, 12,000 men, in 1863, and beleaguered and assaulted without success, on November the 17th and 29th, by James Longstreet, who had pursued the Federal general thither. The first assault proving a failure, James Longstreet decided to reduce Ambrose E. Burnside by siege, but fearing Ulysses Simpson Grant might come up and destroy him, he attempted another assault on the 29th. The Confederates made a desperate charge, pushing each other up the parapet and many forcing their way through the embrasures. They were hurled back each time with heavy loss, and at last drew off to bury their dead. The siege continued, however, for some days. Ulysses Simpson Grant had ordered William Sherman to go to Ambrose E. Burnside's assistance. William Sherman started to do so, but meantime the Battle of Chattanooga took place, and William Sherman did not arrive until December the 4th. Then after a short battle, James Longstreet was compelled to raise the siege and retire. Research Siege of Knoxville
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