Ambrose Everett Burnside-Union Army
(1824-1881)
He was the son of a South Carolina slaveowner who had moved his family to Indiana after he freed his slaves. At the age of 19, young Burnside was appointed to the West Point. He graduated in 1847, ranked 18 out of 38 in his class, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 2nd U.S. Artillery.
He was in the the Mexican War, and then was detailed for duty against the Apaches in the New Mexico Territory, and served some 2 years in frontier warfare. In 1849, he was wounded by an arrow in his neck in Las Vegas, New Mexico. In 1852, he was appointed to the command of Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island. While there, he married Mary Bishop of Providence.
The U.S. government contracted with the Burnside Arms Company to equip a large portion of the army with his carbine, and induced him to establish extensive factories for its manufacture. They produced more than 55,000 rifles for the US Army. The works were no sooner complete than another gunmaker bribed Secretary of War John Floyd to break his contract with him, who was ruined.
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He was in the the Mexican War, and then was detailed for duty against the Apaches in the New Mexico Territory, and served some 2 years in frontier warfare. In 1849, he was wounded by an arrow in his neck in Las Vegas, New Mexico. In 1852, he was appointed to the command of Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island. While there, he married Mary Bishop of Providence.
The U.S. government contracted with the Burnside Arms Company to equip a large portion of the army with his carbine, and induced him to establish extensive factories for its manufacture. They produced more than 55,000 rifles for the US Army. The works were no sooner complete than another gunmaker bribed Secretary of War John Floyd to break his contract with him, who was ruined.
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