He became an officer in the 1st artillery and later taught Military Science and Tactics at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Mississippi until 1893.

He was involved in ammunition development at the Rock Island Arsenal, where he became commanding officer after his promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1910.

In 1918, as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, Burr was sent to England to buy war material and to study production techniques in the United Kingdom.

In March 1919 Burr was promoted to the rank of major general and became successor of George Washington Goethals as Assistant Chief of Staff, Director of Purchase, Storage and Traffic.

[3][4] He was relieved in 1920 on his own request and the War Department sent him to England to negotiate the settlement of outstanding claims between the two governments,[4] resulting in the ″Burr-Niemeyer Agreement″ in November 1920.