William Wallace Burns
Encyclopedia
William Wallace Burns was a career American
soldier who served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
, reaching the rank of brigadier general
in the volunteer army. He was among the commanders of the famed Philadelphia Brigade
.
, son of future U.S. congressman Joseph Burns and a distant relative of George Washington through his mother's family. He entered the United States Military Academy
in 1842 and graduated 28th in his class in 1847, a year late due to failing English as a freshman. He accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the infantry
and served in the Mexican-American War without seeing any combat. He was then assigned to various army posts in the Old West and Southwest, marrying in Arkansas in 1849. He served on recruiting duty in Philadelphia from 1854–1856 and then as a regimental Quartermaster in Florida during the Third Seminole War (1856–1857). After the conclusion of that conflict, Burns was part of an expedition sent to Utah in 1857 to quell Mormon unrest. In 1858, he accepted a staff commission to serve as Chief Commissary of Subsistence for Albert Sidney Johnston
, with the rank of captain.
Burns was stationed at Fort Smith, Arkansas
when the war began, narrowly avoiding capture when that place fell to Confederate militia forces on April 23, 1861. He returned to Ohio after the fort's capture and was quickly appointed as Chief of Commissary on the staff of Major General George B. McClellan
in May 1861. Burns served in that capacity during McClellan's successful campaign in western Virginia that summer, and was promoted to the Regular Army
rank of Major
in August 1861. However, Burns wanted a combat command; he got his wish that fall, receiving a promotion to Brigadier General
of Volunteers in September, and being placed in command of the Philadelphia Brigade in October, after the death of their previous commander at the battle of Ball's Bluff.
Burns commanded the Philadelphia Briagde for just over a year (October 1861-November 1862), most notably during McClellan's Peninsular Campaign in the spring and summer of 1862. He led the brigade in a pivotal role at the battle of Savage Station (June 29), a rear-guard action fought to protect the Army of the Potomac
as it retreated away from Richmond. Despite receiving a painful facial wound, Burns and his brigade successfully drove off a Confederate attack and allowed the Union withdrawal to continue without interference. His brigade played another important role in the battle of Glendale
on the following day, fending off a Confederate attack that had already routed one Union division, and helping to prevent the strung-out Union army from being cut in half. Perhaps his greatest contribution to history occurred earlier in the campaign; during the battle of Fair Oaks
(May 31), Burns had ordered his men to assist an artillery battery that had gotten stuck on a rickety plank bridge over a flooded river. Burns' men helped move the cannon off the bridge and through the mud on the other side, allowing the battery to be in place in time to play a significant role in driving off the last Confederate attack of the day. Even more importantly, a shot fired by that battery severely wounded Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
, who was replaced after the battle by Robert E. Lee
.
Burns' facial wound grew infected, causing him to miss several months of fighting as he recuperated. He served as a division commander during the battle of Fredericksburg
in December 1862, afterwards he moved on to the Western theater, believing that he was going to be promoted to Major General
and receive a corps command in the Army of the Cumberland
under William S. Rosecrans. Unfortunately, Burns' promotion was never approved by Congress, and he could not take command of a corps without it. Burns believed that his promotion had been deliberately blocked by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton
, as punishment for being a strong supporter of General McClellan, a man Stanton despised (no evidence has yet been found that Stanton ever did this). Despite pleas from friends to not act rashly, Burns decided to take his case directly to President Abraham Lincoln
; he submitted his resignation as a general in the Volunteer army to Lincoln, hoping that the president would turn it down and force Stanton to allow his promotion. Instead, Lincoln accepted Burns' resignation without comment, forcing him to return to his career in the Commissary department. He never commanded troops in combat again, and he never got his promotion to Major General.
Later he became chief commissary officer of the Department of the Northwest and during the last part of the war was chief commissary of the Department of the South. He briefly served as the military mayor of Charleston, South Carolina in 1868.
He received the brevet of brigadier general
in 1865 and was on duty in the Commissary Department at Washington
until 1889, when he retired, with the Regular Army
rank of colonel
.
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier who served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, reaching the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the volunteer army. He was among the commanders of the famed Philadelphia Brigade
Philadelphia Brigade
The Philadelphia Brigade was a Union Army brigade that served in the American Civil War. It was raised primarily in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the exception of the 106th regiment which contained men from Lycoming and Bradford counties.The brigade fought with the Army of the...
.
Birth and early years
Burns was born in Coshocton, OhioCoshocton, Ohio
Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States. The population of the city was 11,682 at the 2000 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Coshocton to form the Muskingum River....
, son of future U.S. congressman Joseph Burns and a distant relative of George Washington through his mother's family. He entered the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1842 and graduated 28th in his class in 1847, a year late due to failing English as a freshman. He accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and served in the Mexican-American War without seeing any combat. He was then assigned to various army posts in the Old West and Southwest, marrying in Arkansas in 1849. He served on recruiting duty in Philadelphia from 1854–1856 and then as a regimental Quartermaster in Florida during the Third Seminole War (1856–1857). After the conclusion of that conflict, Burns was part of an expedition sent to Utah in 1857 to quell Mormon unrest. In 1858, he accepted a staff commission to serve as Chief Commissary of Subsistence for Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
, with the rank of captain.
Civil War
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
when the war began, narrowly avoiding capture when that place fell to Confederate militia forces on April 23, 1861. He returned to Ohio after the fort's capture and was quickly appointed as Chief of Commissary on the staff of Major General George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
in May 1861. Burns served in that capacity during McClellan's successful campaign in western Virginia that summer, and was promoted to the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in August 1861. However, Burns wanted a combat command; he got his wish that fall, receiving a promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
of Volunteers in September, and being placed in command of the Philadelphia Brigade in October, after the death of their previous commander at the battle of Ball's Bluff.
Burns commanded the Philadelphia Briagde for just over a year (October 1861-November 1862), most notably during McClellan's Peninsular Campaign in the spring and summer of 1862. He led the brigade in a pivotal role at the battle of Savage Station (June 29), a rear-guard action fought to protect the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
as it retreated away from Richmond. Despite receiving a painful facial wound, Burns and his brigade successfully drove off a Confederate attack and allowed the Union withdrawal to continue without interference. His brigade played another important role in the battle of Glendale
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.The...
on the following day, fending off a Confederate attack that had already routed one Union division, and helping to prevent the strung-out Union army from being cut in half. Perhaps his greatest contribution to history occurred earlier in the campaign; during the battle of Fair Oaks
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
(May 31), Burns had ordered his men to assist an artillery battery that had gotten stuck on a rickety plank bridge over a flooded river. Burns' men helped move the cannon off the bridge and through the mud on the other side, allowing the battery to be in place in time to play a significant role in driving off the last Confederate attack of the day. Even more importantly, a shot fired by that battery severely wounded Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
, who was replaced after the battle by Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
.
Burns' facial wound grew infected, causing him to miss several months of fighting as he recuperated. He served as a division commander during the battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
in December 1862, afterwards he moved on to the Western theater, believing that he was going to be promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and receive a corps command in the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
under William S. Rosecrans. Unfortunately, Burns' promotion was never approved by Congress, and he could not take command of a corps without it. Burns believed that his promotion had been deliberately blocked by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton
Edwin M. Stanton
Edwin McMasters Stanton was an American lawyer and politician who served as Secretary of War under the Lincoln Administration during the American Civil War from 1862–1865...
, as punishment for being a strong supporter of General McClellan, a man Stanton despised (no evidence has yet been found that Stanton ever did this). Despite pleas from friends to not act rashly, Burns decided to take his case directly to President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
; he submitted his resignation as a general in the Volunteer army to Lincoln, hoping that the president would turn it down and force Stanton to allow his promotion. Instead, Lincoln accepted Burns' resignation without comment, forcing him to return to his career in the Commissary department. He never commanded troops in combat again, and he never got his promotion to Major General.
Later he became chief commissary officer of the Department of the Northwest and during the last part of the war was chief commissary of the Department of the South. He briefly served as the military mayor of Charleston, South Carolina in 1868.
He received the brevet of brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in 1865 and was on duty in the Commissary Department at Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
until 1889, when he retired, with the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
rank of colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
.
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals