- 5
Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, as C. S. A. General
Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 USD
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Description
- ink and paper
3 war-date commuications from Confederate General Beauregard:
Autograph endorsement signed with initials ("G.T.B."), written in pencil on the integral blank of a contemporary clerical copy of a letter from Beauregard to Jefferson Davis, 2 pages (10 1/8 x 8 in.; 257 x 204 mm), "Headquarters Department N.C. & So Va," Drury's Bluff, 15 May 1864, Beauregard's endorsement directing "Copy in Book & return it to me"; folds soiled and splitting.
This letter, the text of which Beauregard wanted to be sure to preserve, announces that, in light of the distance and poor roads between himself and supporting forces, he is planning on attacking Benjamin Butler's Union forces without waiting for reinforcements. "Under these circumstances and in light of the fact that the Enemy is diligently employed in erecting batteries and rifle pits around this place, further delay might be fatal to success and I have determined to attack ["the Enemy" is scored through] him at day break to morrow morning with the forces at present available here, increased by Barton's Brigade, as authorized by you." — Letter signed ("G.T. Beauregard"), 2 1/4 pages (10 x 8 in.; 254 x 203 mm), "Head Quarters near Chester, V[irgini]a Hancock's House," 21 May 1864, to C.S.A. President Davis, docketed on verso; soiled and splitting at folds. The day after repelling General Benjamin Butler at Bermuda Hundreds, General Beauregard plans to contain Butler on the peninsula and to prevent further reinforcements: "... I shall do all in my power, with my limited means, to hold in check the Enemy in my front, who has nearly double my present force, and, if possible, I will compel him to evacuate his present strong position. I succeeded yesterday, after a severe struggle, in obtaining the shortest defensive line in front of his works, which extend from the James River to the Appomattox. This line is about three miles long, and when properly fortified, will enable me, with a small force, (say about 10,000 men) to hold in check, and neutralize the force of at least 25,000 men, which the Enemy is now reported to have on the peninsula of Bermuda Hundreds. To drive him from his present position, the best plan would then be to send a force of about 4 or 5,000 men to storm Fort Pemberton, and establish there a Battery of heavy guns to command the navigation of the James River at that point — this could be accomplished in a very few days; then, by putting into the River torpedoes and a rope obstruction, under the protection of the guns of the Fort, no Enemy's vessels could pass up or down the River, and he would be compelled to abandon his present position. With regard to reinforcing Gen'l Lee, I shall be most happy to do so, whenever you shall judge proper to order it. ... I enclose herewith an approximate statement of the effective forces I now have in front of the Enemy, recapitulated as follows: Infantry 13,000 / Artillery 850 / Cavalry 680 / Total 14,530." — Autograph letter signed ("G. T. Beauregard"), 2 pages (12 3/4 x 8 in.; 323 x 203 mm), "Head Quarters in the Field near Chester, V[irgini]a," 3 June 1864, to General Braxton Bragg; integral blank, docketed on verso, separations at folds, folds slightly darkened. General Beauregard advises against the further withdrawal of troops from the vicinity of Petersburg: "That there may not be, hereafter, any possible misapprehension of the part I am called upon to act in the momentous events which are transpiring, and which I cannot but watch with the most intense interest and solicitude, I send you herewith copies of the telegrams [not present] which have been exchanged between General Lee & myself ... You will not doubt of my readiness and anxiety to co-operate with Genl. Lee in any manner that may be deemed most condusive towards the crushing of the foe in his front. I shall be found willing and ready at all times, to obey any orders the War Department may judge fit & proper to give on the subject; but I cannot under existing circumstances, advise the withdrawal of more troops from this vicinity ... Already 13,000 out of 20,000 infantry have been sent to the North side of the James river since the battle of Drewry's Bluff; and with the forces remaining, unless taken temporarily and for an immediate encounter with the enemy, it might become impossible to prevent the latter from destroying the communications between Richmond & Petersburg, nay, from capturing Petersburg, which could not be retaken without great sacrifice of life."
Autograph endorsement signed with initials ("G.T.B."), written in pencil on the integral blank of a contemporary clerical copy of a letter from Beauregard to Jefferson Davis, 2 pages (10 1/8 x 8 in.; 257 x 204 mm), "Headquarters Department N.C. & So Va," Drury's Bluff, 15 May 1864, Beauregard's endorsement directing "Copy in Book & return it to me"; folds soiled and splitting.
This letter, the text of which Beauregard wanted to be sure to preserve, announces that, in light of the distance and poor roads between himself and supporting forces, he is planning on attacking Benjamin Butler's Union forces without waiting for reinforcements. "Under these circumstances and in light of the fact that the Enemy is diligently employed in erecting batteries and rifle pits around this place, further delay might be fatal to success and I have determined to attack ["the Enemy" is scored through] him at day break to morrow morning with the forces at present available here, increased by Barton's Brigade, as authorized by you." — Letter signed ("G.T. Beauregard"), 2 1/4 pages (10 x 8 in.; 254 x 203 mm), "Head Quarters near Chester, V[irgini]a Hancock's House," 21 May 1864, to C.S.A. President Davis, docketed on verso; soiled and splitting at folds. The day after repelling General Benjamin Butler at Bermuda Hundreds, General Beauregard plans to contain Butler on the peninsula and to prevent further reinforcements: "... I shall do all in my power, with my limited means, to hold in check the Enemy in my front, who has nearly double my present force, and, if possible, I will compel him to evacuate his present strong position. I succeeded yesterday, after a severe struggle, in obtaining the shortest defensive line in front of his works, which extend from the James River to the Appomattox. This line is about three miles long, and when properly fortified, will enable me, with a small force, (say about 10,000 men) to hold in check, and neutralize the force of at least 25,000 men, which the Enemy is now reported to have on the peninsula of Bermuda Hundreds. To drive him from his present position, the best plan would then be to send a force of about 4 or 5,000 men to storm Fort Pemberton, and establish there a Battery of heavy guns to command the navigation of the James River at that point — this could be accomplished in a very few days; then, by putting into the River torpedoes and a rope obstruction, under the protection of the guns of the Fort, no Enemy's vessels could pass up or down the River, and he would be compelled to abandon his present position. With regard to reinforcing Gen'l Lee, I shall be most happy to do so, whenever you shall judge proper to order it. ... I enclose herewith an approximate statement of the effective forces I now have in front of the Enemy, recapitulated as follows: Infantry 13,000 / Artillery 850 / Cavalry 680 / Total 14,530." — Autograph letter signed ("G. T. Beauregard"), 2 pages (12 3/4 x 8 in.; 323 x 203 mm), "Head Quarters in the Field near Chester, V[irgini]a," 3 June 1864, to General Braxton Bragg; integral blank, docketed on verso, separations at folds, folds slightly darkened. General Beauregard advises against the further withdrawal of troops from the vicinity of Petersburg: "That there may not be, hereafter, any possible misapprehension of the part I am called upon to act in the momentous events which are transpiring, and which I cannot but watch with the most intense interest and solicitude, I send you herewith copies of the telegrams [not present] which have been exchanged between General Lee & myself ... You will not doubt of my readiness and anxiety to co-operate with Genl. Lee in any manner that may be deemed most condusive towards the crushing of the foe in his front. I shall be found willing and ready at all times, to obey any orders the War Department may judge fit & proper to give on the subject; but I cannot under existing circumstances, advise the withdrawal of more troops from this vicinity ... Already 13,000 out of 20,000 infantry have been sent to the North side of the James river since the battle of Drewry's Bluff; and with the forces remaining, unless taken temporarily and for an immediate encounter with the enemy, it might become impossible to prevent the latter from destroying the communications between Richmond & Petersburg, nay, from capturing Petersburg, which could not be retaken without great sacrifice of life."