Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Burns ya umurci Brigade na Philadelphia don kawai fiye da shekara guda (Oktoba 1861-Nuwamba 1862), musamman a lokacin yakin basasa na McClellan a cikin bazara da lokacin rani na 1862. Ya jagoranci brigade a wani muhimmin matsayi a yakin Savage Station (Yuni 29), wani aikin da aka yi don kare sojojin Potomac yayin da ya janye daga Richmond. Duk da karɓar raunin fuska mai raɗaɗi, Burns da brigade ya samu nasarar fitar da harin Confederate kuma ya ba da izinin janyewar Union don ci gaba ba tare da tsangwama ba. Rundunarsa ta taka muhimmiyar rawa a yakin Glendale a rana mai zuwa, ta kawar da hare-haren Confederate wanda ya riga ya rushe wani bangare na Union, kuma ya taimaka wajen hana rundunar sojojin Union da aka yanke a rabi. Wataƙila babban gudummawar da ya bayar ga tarihi ya faru a farkon yakin; a lokacin yakin
Fair Oaks (Mayu 31), Burns ya umarci mutanensa su taimaka wa batirin bindigogi wanda aka kama a kan gada mai banƙyama a kan kogin da aka yi ambaliya. Mutanen Burns sun taimaka wajen motsa cannon daga gada da kuma ta hanyar laka a gefe guda, yana ba da damar baturi ya kasance a wuri a lokaci don taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen fitar da harin karshe na Confederate na rana. Har ma mafi mahimmanci, harbi da aka harbe daga wannan baturi ya ji rauni sosai ga Janar Janar Joseph E. Johnston, wanda Robert E. Lee ya maye gurbinsa bayan yakin.