A Civil War Biography
Stephen Gano Burbridge
Burbridge was born 19 August 1831 in Scott County, Kentucky. He
attended Georgetown College and the Kentucky Military Institute,
then studied the law and set up a practice in his home state. He
also did some farming.
On 27 August 1861 with the war already raging in the east, Burbridge
help raise and was commissioned colonel of the 26th Kentucky (Union)
infantry. The 26th with Burbridge in command saw action at Shiloh.
He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers to rank from 9
June 1862. He commanded a brigade in the XIII Corps during the
storming of Fort Hindman, Arkansas and the Vicksburg campaign. In
1864 he succeeded Jeremiah T. Boyle in command of the District of
Kentucky and was brevetted major general of volunteers on 4 July
1864 for repulsing John H. Morgan's abortive invasion of Kentucky.
His administrative skills and his caring out retributive executions
of Rebel guerrillas, however, earned him the ire of the civil
authorities and the populace. He was relieved of his command in
January 1865 and resigned his commission in December.
Following the war Burbridge found it difficult to live in Kentucky.
He and his family were socially and financially ostracized. He moved
to Brooklyn, New York shortly after the war and died there a
forgotten man on 2 December 1894. He is buried in Arlington National
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