Burnside's Failure In The Battle Of Antietam

A Southern refugee once reflected, and referred to the Army of the Potomac as the “greatest army in the planet.” Although this is a clear exaggeration, from a Southern perspective following the Battle of Antietam, this was not too far off. Relative to the Army of Northern Virginia, the Federal army was vastly larger, in better spirits, and strategically in better positions. To direct this army of great potential, President Lincoln appointed the reluctant Major General Ambrose Everett Burnside. Almost immediately after receiving command, Burnside adopted a plan; the objective was Richmond. He was convinced that a victory at Richmond would cripple the Confederate’s ability to carry on; whether this would have been true is debatable. What is

He neglected the location and speed of Confederate forces in the area. Following the Battle of Antietam, Lee’s Corps under Generals Longstreet and Jackson were separated. Burnside believed he could cut off Lee’s supply in Richmond prior to the two Rebel commanders uniting. His aggressive maneuver did not factor in the effects Lee’s forces could inflict if they presented a united front. Burnside did not comprehend that this was possible and he was ignorant of the presence of Confederate reconnaissance assets in Fredericksburg. His failure to understand the location of these forces is a major contributor to his army’s

A Confederate soldier on the wall at the Heights recollected seeing, “…Single bodies…scattered at increased distances until the main mass of the dead lay thickly strewn over the ground.” The Confederates deliberate defensive positions on the hill were just too intense for the Potomac forces to penetrate. Despite the failing state of his plan, Burnside continued to send division after division up the hill until nightfall. No one made it past that well defended wall. Burnside’s inability to assess the battle and alter his plan contributed to the slaughter of thousands of Federal soldiers.

The performance of Major General Ambrose E. Burnside at the helm of the Army of the Potomac can be characterized as less than stellar. His failures to understand, describe, lead, and assess during the Battle of Fredericksburg ultimately led to his army’s defeat and the death of tens of thousands of Federal soldiers. The fate of the mission and our soldiers rely on our ability to conduct mission command activities. It is essential we learn from the grave mistakes of the commanders of the past and become prepared to carry out these activities when we are called to do