March 8, 1843: Accepts appointment to West Point

July 1, 1843: Enters the military academy as one of 53 cadets

June 1847: West Point Graduate - 18th in Class of 38

July 1847: Commissioned as Brevet 2d Lieutenant and assigned to 2nd U. S. Artillery - Traveled to Mexico City, but arrived after hostilities ended

September 8, 1847: Promoted to 2d Lieutenant and assigned to the 3d Artillery

Upon returning from the Mexican-American War, Burnside is assigned to Ft. Adams, Newport, RI.

December 10, 1849: Transferred and served two years on the Western Frontier under Captain Braxton Bragg

1849: Wounded by an arrow in the neck against the Apaches in Las Vegas, New Mexico

1850-1851: Office of Quartermaster of the Boundary Commission

September 1851: Bearer of Dispatches to Washington, D.C. While on the trip, he starts to invent a breech-loading rifle, which was vastly superior to any existing.

December 1851: Promoted to First Lieutenant

1852: Commander, Fort Adams, Newport, Rhode Island

April 27, 1852: Marries Mary Richmond Bishop of Providence

1853: Resigned commission in the U. S. Army to start the "Bristol Rifle Works"

1855: Recognized for his military ability, was placed in command as major-general of the volunteer-militia of the State

1856: Resigned his commission when the Governor dissolved a court-martial board Burnside had created

March 4, 1857: Becomes the Democratic candidate for Congress from Eastern District of Rhode Island

March 27, 1857: Letter in the Providence Post to the citizens of the Eastern Congressional District of Rhode Island

August 17, 1857: Testing of Breech Loading Weapons

April 27, 1858: After being ruined, Burnside accepts a job as "Cashier of the Railroad Land Office" for the Illinois Central Railroad in Chicago

June 1860: Appointed treasurer of the cooperation

April 15, 1861: Governor Sprague of Rhode Island sends a dispatch to Burnside stating, "A regiment of Rhode Island troops will go to Washington this week. How soon can you come on and take command?" He responds, "At once" and reported for duty the next morning.

April 16, 1861: Commissioned as Colonel of the First Regiment of Rhode Island Detached Militia

April 26, 1861: First Rhode Island Regiment is first organization that arrives in Washington fully "uniformed, armed, and supplied with provisions and ammunition for three weeks"

July 21, 1861: Battle of Manassas

August 6, 1861: Promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers - Assigned to train provisional brigades in the new Army of the Potomac

September 1861: Burnside submits his plan for North Carolina to Gen. McClellan

Fall 1861: Burnside is instructed to secure the coast of North Carolina

November/December 1861: Making his headquarters in New York City, Burnside contracts for transportation, organizing troops, pursuing arms, ammunition and supplies

December 19, 1861: Burnside leaves New York to join his troops at Annapolis, Maryland

January 4, 1862: Orders for embarkation are given

January 5, 1862: Troops start embarking with them being totally onboard by the 8th

January 5, 1862: Burnside selects the gunboat Picket as his flagship for the expedition

January 9-10, 1862: The fleet leaves Annapolis for Fortress Monroe. Burnside and the gunboat Pickett arrive the morning of the 11th.

January 11, 1862: During the night the fleet leaves Fort Monroe with the gunboat Pickett leaving on the morning of the 12th

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