Burnside

Burnside
   Technically, this essay does not belong in the book because the subject does not consist of a proper noun used as an ordinary word. The proper noun is Burnside; the ordinary word, sideburns. Clearly sideburns is not a derivative. Let's clarify the mixup.
   Ambrose Everett Burnside (1824-1881) went from being an apprentice tailor in Liberty, Indiana, to a Union general and ultimately commander of the Army of the Potomac. He was a dreamer of bizarre schemes to win the Civil War.
   No one would disagree that Burnside looked the part of a general, what with his striking figure, his bushy side whiskers, and smooth chin. His greatest pleasure was to lead a parade and maneuver his Rhode Island volunteers, for he was always warmly applauded. Astride a horse, and with whiskers flowing and the bands playing, he was the dashing general that people expected to see. This was the spectacle of Burnside at his best.
   Militarily, Burnside was a different kind of spectacle. At the battle of Fredericksburg, Burnside instigated a surprise strike by crossing the river. More than 100,000 Union soldiers were killed. This debacle was followed by others, including a plan to tunnel under the enemy lines. Kindhearted historians report simply that Burnside had his ups and downs. Abraham Lincoln said that he was the only man he knew who could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Burnside was bumble-headed and undoubtedly the least distinguished general in the Union Army. He committed so many military errors that the war would have been lost had he not been replaced before resigning his commission.
   But Burnside lived on, not because of his surname but because he had cultivated side whiskers, a luxuriant growth of muttonchop whiskers called burnsides. Men, particularly young men, liked the look. Burmides became a popular fad. However, because of a semantic shift the name for side whiskers was sensibly turned around to sideburns, a logical generic term because such whiskers grow on the sides of the face. The continuation of hair down the side of a man's face is still called sideburns, making Burnside's name, anagrammatically speaking, one of the best eponymous words.
   Being bumble-headed doesn't prevent a person from rising to high office. Burnside, with his winning personality and imposing presence, was elected governor of Rhode Island three times and then served as a United States senator for two terms. The people of Rhode Is]and were more compassionate than Burnside's first wife-to-be. When the minister asked whether she would take this man as her husband, she took a quick look at him, shrieked a resounding "No," and ran out of the church.

Dictionary of eponyms. . 2013.

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  • Burnside — may refer to:Places;Australia *City of Burnside, a Local Government Area of Adelaide, South Australia *Burnside, South Australia, a suburb of the City of Burnside, South Australia, Australia *Burnside, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne;Canada… …   Wikipedia

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  • Burnside A.F.C. — Burnside A.F.C. is a soccer club based in the suburb of Burnside in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 2007 it was the largest football club in the South Island. Founded in 1967 as Burndale United (the name being an portmanteau of the suburb names… …   Wikipedia

  • Burnside — Burnside, AZ U.S. Census Designated Place in Arizona Population (2000): 632 Housing Units (2000): 216 Land area (2000): 9.301465 sq. miles (24.090682 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 9.301465 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Burnside — is generally accepted as being of Scottish origin, but is more properly a Scottish Highland and an English Border surname, with a foot in each camp. Its origins are Olde English pre 7th century, the derivation being from Brunwold heved . This… …   Surnames reference

  • Burnside, AZ — U.S. Census Designated Place in Arizona Population (2000): 632 Housing Units (2000): 216 Land area (2000): 9.301465 sq. miles (24.090682 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 9.301465 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Burnside, KY — U.S. city in Kentucky Population (2000): 637 Housing Units (2000): 348 Land area (2000): 1.683921 sq. miles (4.361335 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.392517 sq. miles (1.016615 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.076438 sq. miles (5.377950 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Burnside, PA — U.S. borough in Pennsylvania Population (2000): 283 Housing Units (2000): 115 Land area (2000): 1.676375 sq. miles (4.341791 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.676375 sq. miles (4.341791 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Burnside —   [ bəːnsaɪd], William, britischer Mathematiker, * London 2. 7. 1852, ✝ West Wickham (heute zu London) 21. 8. 1927; war 1885 1919 Professor am Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Burnside lieferte Arbeiten zur Funktionentheorie, v. a. über… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Burnside — (spr. börnßaid ), Ambrosius Everett, nordamerikan. General, geb. 23. Mai 1824 in Liberty (Indiana), gest. 13. Sept. 1881 in Bristol (Rhode Island), ward 1847 Artillerieoffizier. Nach der ersten Schlacht von Bull Run 1861 zum Brigadekommandeur… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Burnside — (spr. börnseid), Ambrose Everett, nordamerik. General, geb. 23. Mai 1824 in Liberty (Indiana), 13. Dez. 1862 als Oberbefehlshaber der Potomacarmee bei Friedrichsberg am Rappahannock von Lee geschlagen, gest. 13. Sept. 1881. – Vgl. Poore (1882) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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