Burnside’s blunders cost many a Union soldier his life

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Generally speaking, Abraham Lincoln had a big problem. Many of his top generals didn’t get along. Between some of them it was so contemptuous they sabotaged each other's strategies and actions, costing soldiers’ lives.

Fact is, to become a general you had to be ultra confident and self-absorbed, with a large dose of arrogance and defiance even after a decision had gone terribly wrong. These type A individuals were very competitive with one another, to a fault.

Four days after the questionable Union victory at the Battle of Antietam blood bath, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all the slaves in the “rebellious States.” He did this not only because it was the right thing to finally do, but politically it was calculating, clearly putting the issue of slavery, not just questioning whether territories becoming new states could expand the institution, but making slavery itself a national debate.

Lincoln needed to keep the Union’s fragile momentum moving forward after Antietam. Many northern Democrats not only tolerated slavery, they were in favor of a negotiated peace with the Confederacy. Lincoln would have none of it!

After failing to pursue Lee’s wounded army into Virginia following the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam, Lincoln was furious. He fired Commanding General George McClellan and searched his general’s bench for the succeeding right leader.

West Point graduate General Ambrose Burnside was the next man up.

Burnside and his sideburns (Photo submitted by Bob Ford)

During the Civil War, being a Union officer was considered prestigious. Higher the rank, the more distinguished you were perceived in society and service.

Politically appointed colonels and generals plagued both sides throughout the war. The better connections your family or friends had, the higher rank the unskilled received. Union Generals Benjamin Butler, Dan Sickles and Lew Wallace, among others, had important commands during major battles without formal military training.

Alcoholism, incompetence and cronyism were pervasive throughout both the Confederate and Union high commands. During the war there were approximately 400 Southern Generals and over 500 Union.

At least Burnside was well trained but that didn’t mean he was smart. At the Battle of Antietam, Burnside commanded the 13,000 man IX Corps ordered to take the strategic bridge over Antietam Creek that today bears his name. The general was late to the attack, failing to coordinate with other assaults on the battlefield. His men were held off by 500 Georgians for four hours giving southern General A.P. Hill, wearing his trademark red vest, time to force march his Rebel light brigades 12 miles from Harpers Ferry, Virginia, into Maryland to join the fight.

Hill’s troops surprised Burnside, blasting the generals open flank and forcing a Union retreat, ending the deadliest day of the Civil War.

Even so, on November 7, 1862, President Lincoln made General Ambrose Burnside the overall commander of the 120,000-man Army of the Potomac. Aggressively, Burnside decided he would not make McClellan’s mistakes and strategically planned bold moves to take Richmond, the Confederate Capital, and end the war.

By this time, Ambrose Burnside would have slid quietly into anonymity were it not for his facial hair. Sideburns or lamb chops, originally called burnsides because of the bird's nest-like growth the commander carried on either side of his nose to each ear. He started a trend; well, that’s something to be remembered for anyway. I wonder who had the first mullet?

Fredericksburg, Virginia, is halfway between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. If the Army of the Potomac could move quickly enough and take the lightly defended city it would put itself in a good position to drive on the Rebel Capital, causing Lee to attack on Burnside’s chosen terrain. It was a daring plan that Lincoln supported.

Fredericksburg lies on the southern banks of the Rappahannock River that had to be crossed. Months earlier Lee destroyed all bridges over the river so Burnside needed to quickly build something new, a pontoon bridge. This is where it’s discussed whether his plans were subverted by subordinates or not.

First it took days to get the pontoons delivered to the Army, then unbelievably they were at the back of the 17-mile long Army of the Potomac caravan. Once brought forward, which added another two days, they lacked the mules to maneuver the pontoons into position, another day's delay.

All of this gave Lee ample time to maneuver his Corps and General James Longstreet’s to meet Burnside's assault. The element of surprise was gone. Longstreet took up a position overlooking the town on Marye’s Heights.

General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson even had time to move his Corps from the Shenandoah Valley to cover Longstreet’s flank.

It’s December 1862, and cold, Burnside's engineers began to lay the pontoons in place trying to cross the river. Rebel sharpshooters had plenty of success in picking off these unarmed soldiers. The General reverted to plan “B,” utilizing the pontoons in what is considered America’s first amphibious assault in war. Armed Union soldiers in boats paddled the Rappahannock under fire, landing in Fredericksburg where a short but fierce fight took place. The Rebels were overwhelmed, retreated to Marye’s Heights, joining the now entrenched Longstreet’s Corp.

The days of delay by the Union Army that were either caused by poor planning or intentionally altered, indicates to me a pervasive destructive attitude where the Union brass actually worked against one another in several instances in the war. This happened on the Confederate side, too. Rigid personalities, jealousy and wounded pride can be seen on the playground or battlefield.

Once Burnside had taken Fredericksburg, he had no idea that just outside of the town, waiting were Rebel troops, perfectly positioned that would deliver devastation and give the Confederacy their greatest one-sided victory of the war.

Next week: The Battle