Ambrose Burnside

[Wild Bill]

Be careful about getting all caught up in Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg. Burnsides original plan was to keep Lee and Longstreet pinned at Marye's and have the I and VI Corps defeat Jackson and turn the Confederate position from the south.

Burnside's real fault was that he could not quit when the attack on Jackson failed because of Gen W B Franklin's refusal to really attack there with nothing but Meade's Division. That, and the political pressure he felt from the Lincoln administration for a victory.

Another story about Burnside. He was turned down at the altar when his bride to be answered the "do you take this man. . . ." with a resounding "NO" and waked out of the ceremony.

As Clint Eastwood once said, "a man has to know his limitations." At least Burnside knew his--But he just could not say "no" when he had to. Was it a flashback to his wedding ceremony? Was he a typical politician rather than a general? Maybe. He was elected governor of his home state of Rhode Island 3 times after the war.