Daily national Republican., 1862-11-13
The New Commander Of the Army Of the
Potomac.

Major-Gen. Ambrose Everitt Burnside, of the
United States volunteer service, is In the prime
of life, having been born at Liberty, a small
town In Union county, Indiana, on the 23d of
May, 1894. He was nominated to the West
Point Military Academy, and his name was en-
rolled as cadet In 1s43. He graduated In
1S47, eighteenth In class Of thirty-eight MEM
bers, and was Immediately attached to the Cd
artillery, with the brevet rank Of second lieu
tenant. In September, 1S47, Lieut.. Burnside
was promoted to full second lleutenancy In
company c, Sd artillery, since rendered famous
as "Bragg's Battery" Bragg himself being then
captain of IL. With this battery, Lieut.. Burn
side marched in Gen. Patterson's division, to the
city of Mexico and remained there until the close
of the Mexican war. After this he served with
his company in New Mexico, where he was dis
tinguished In encounters with the Apache In
dians, being complimented in general orders.
On the 18th of December, 1851, he was pro-
NOTED to first lieutenancy, in the room of an
officer who was cashiered. When the present
Typographical Engineers was appointed United
States Astronomer In the joint commission to
settle the frontier lines Of the United States
and Mexico, Lieut.. Burnside was chosen to fll
the office of quartcrmaster, and In this capacity
he conveyed dispatches from Col. Graham to
President Fillmore, travelling twelve hundred
miles across the plains In seventeen days, with
an escort of only three men. After serving a
short time at Fort Adams, Newport harbor,
Lieut.. Burnside resigned, in 1858. After his
resignation, he turned his attention to the man
ufacture of brcech loading rifle Of his own
invention, known as the Burnside Rife" a
project which resulted in considerable pecuni-
ary loss. ..
Gen. Burnside then sold his establishment to
his brother-in-law, who has supplied quite
number of the Burnside rifles to the present
Administration. Subsequently to this, he was,
with Gen. Mcclellan, connected with the Illi-
nois Central railroad, holding the position Of
President of the Land Office Department.
While residing at Bristol, r. l., he married Miss
Bishop, of Providence, and removed with her to
Chicago upon being appointed to the Illinois
Central. He was also elected major general Of
the Rhode Island militia during his sojourn at
Bristol. Shortly after removing to Chicago, he
was elected treasurer of the Central railroad,
and thereupon removed to this city, from which
he was summoned on the outbreak of the rebel
lion, by Governor Sprague, to assume the colo
nelcy of the First Rhode Island volunteers.
This regiment did good service In the first battle
Of Bull Run, its colonel acting as brigadier gen.
eral of the second brigade, the second division.
After this he was appointed brigadier general Of
volunteers, his commission being dated 9th
August, 1861.
OF the celebrated Burnside Expedition to
North Carolina, nothing need be said. AT the
battle of Antietam, In September last, General
Burnside's corps d'Onee performed highly
important part. 1t took the main road to Sharps-
burg, on the left, and encountered the most de-
termined opposition in successfully executing
its part of the general plan of the battle. Gen.
Burnside had to cross the bridge over the An
tietam Creek, and dislodge the enemy, who
were in strong force and position on the oppo-
site side. Twice his army made an attempt to
cross, and twice was 1t repulsed, with heavy
loss, but the third attack, led by the general, in
person, was successful, and the position was
won, though at great sacrifice Of life.
In October last, Gen. Burnside was assigned
to the general charge of the defences of Har-
per's Ferry, just recovered from the rebels, af-
ter having been surrendered by Col. Miles.
The I'd and 12th army corps were at the same
time placed under his command. On October
%, when the army of the Potomac began to
move. Gen. Burnside, with his I'd army corps,
crossed the Potomac in light marching order
Immediately after Pleasanton's cavalry, and Is
now in the advance. Gen. Burnside Is a man
of very fine personal appearance, a rigid dis
ciplinarian and u thorough gentleman. His
present rank is that Of major general of vol
unteers. He Is the ninth on the list and by
virtue of his commission alone, which is dated
March 10, 1869, ranks all volunteer major gen.
erals except Generals Banks, Dix, Butler, David
Hunter, Edwin d. Morgan, Hitchcock, Grant
and McDowell.-N Y. Commercial.