November 7, 1862---Burnside replaces McClellan

NOVEMBER 7, 1862:          

General Ambrose Burnside takes command of the Army of The Potomac. The chrome-domed Burnside is an able, honest, and humble commanding officer, all those things McClellan has proven himself not to be, but does not have the brass to effectively command the behemoth Army of The Potomac. The tenure of his command is best described by the fact that Burnside is much better known for his massive muttonchop whiskers, (first called “burnsides” but later, in a trick of the English language, “sideburns”) than for anything he accomplishes on the battlefield.