William Wallace Burns

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William Wallace Burns (September 3, 1825 – April 19, 1892) was a career American soldier who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, reaching the rank of major general in the volunteer army. He was among the commanders of the famed Philadelphia Brigade.

Burns was born in Coshocton, Ohio, and in 1847 graduated from the United States Military Academy. He accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the infantry and served in the Mexican-American War on recruiting duty. He was then assigned to various army posts in the Old West and Southwest, occasionally fighting against Indians. In 1858, he accepted a staff commission as Commissary of Subsistence with the rank of captain.

During the Civil War, he was in the field with the Army of the Potomac from 1861 to 1863, during which time he attained the rank of major general of volunteers. Later he became chief commissary officer of the Department of the Northwest and during the last part of the war was chief commissary of the Department of the South.

He received the brevet of brigadier general in 1865 and was on duty in the Commissary Department at Washington until 1889, when he retired, with the Regular Army rank of colonel.

He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.