Editing Ambrose Burnside (section)

===First Bull Run===
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Burnside was a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] in the Rhode Island Militia. He raised the [[1st Rhode Island Infantry|1st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry Regiment]], and was appointed its colonel on May 2, 1861.<ref>[https://catalog.archives.gov/id/76035386 Combined Military Service Record]</ref> Two companies of this regiment were then armed with Burnside carbines.

Within a month, he ascended to brigade command in the Department of northeast Virginia. He commanded the brigade without distinction at the [[First Battle of Bull Run]] in July and took over division command temporarily for wounded Brig. Gen. [[David Hunter]]. His 90-day regiment was mustered out of service on August 2; he was promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers on August 6 and was assigned to train provisional brigades in the [[Army of the Potomac]].<ref name=ESWW/>
[[File:Burnside with 1stRI.jpg|thumb|Burnside (seated, center) and officers of the 1st Rhode Island at Camp Sprague, Rhode Island, 1861]]