Sidney
Burbank of Massachusetts was admitted to West Point in July
1825, just three months from his 18th birthday. At
his graduation in 1829, he ranked 17th in a class of 46,
though he ranked 2nd on the Conduct Roll. Among his
classmates were a young Robert E. Lee, Caleb Sibley and
Joseph E. Johnston.
In
1836, 2nd Lt. Burbank, 1st Infantry, joined the West Point
faculty as an assistant instructor of tactics. In
1845, Captain Sidney Burbank commanded Fort Scott in Kansas.
Lieutenant Colonel Sidney Burbank assumed command of the
13th U.S. Infantry regiment on July 23, 1861. With
the opening of Alton Federal Military Prison on February
9th, 1862, members of the 13th U.S. Infantry were assigned
as guards with Colonel Sidney Burbank Commanding.
After
Antietam, Burbank took command of 2nd Infantry when Col.
Dixon Miles was mortally wounded by a piece of shell at
Harper's Ferry during September and died shortly afterwards.
At Gettysburg, Burbank commanded the Second Brigade of the
Second Division, V Corps. The Second Brigade was made
up of 2nd U.S., 7th U.S., 10th U.S., 1lth U.S. and 17th
U.S. When the brigade was discontinued in New York City,
Burbank returned to his regimental depot to supervise rebuilding
of the 2nd Infantry.
