author
Alfred Burnett
1824–1884
A lively 19th-century performer and writer, he became known for blending humor, mimicry, and feeling in sketches of everyday life and the Civil War. His work captures the energy of popular entertainment while also preserving a vivid slice of American culture.
1 Audiobook
Incidents of the War: Humorous, Pathetic, and Descriptive
by Alfred Burnett
About the author
Born in England in 1824 and brought to the United States as a child, Alfred Burnett grew up in a family that later settled in Cincinnati and became involved in the abolitionist movement. He first made his name on the stage, where he was admired as a humorist, mimic, ventriloquist, and comic performer.
Burnett was especially associated with dramatic recitations and character pieces that mixed comedy with sentiment. During the Civil War era he also wrote and performed material connected to the conflict, and his book Incidents of the War: Humorous, Pathetic, and Descriptive reflects the same blend of wit and feeling that made him popular with audiences.
Remembered as both an entertainer and a journalist, Burnett belonged to a tradition of 19th-century American performers who moved easily between the lecture platform, the theater, and print. He died in Cincinnati in 1884, leaving behind work that speaks to the tastes, politics, and public spirit of his time.