Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a Louisiana-born general of the Confederate States Army. He had graduated second in his class from West Point in 1838 and was an admirer of Napoleon. He achieved fame early in the Civil War for commanding the Fort Sumter bombardment and as the victor of the first battle of Manassas. He later served in the Western Theater (including Shiloh and Corinth), Charleston, and the defense of Richmond, but his career was hampered by friction with Jefferson Davis and other generals.
This telegram is from The Telegraphic History of the Civil War; a compiled album of telegrams to Beauregard from Davis, Lee, Johnston and others.
Transcript:
Nov 1 1864
From Richmond 1 via Mobile 1864
To Genl G T Beauregard
My letter of Oct 2nd placed you in command of the armies in a section of the Country. When present with either army you were to exercise immediate command while there—but to retain the contemplated freedom of motion it was designed that you should not relieve the Genl of the particular army but by retaining the organization be enabled to leave at any moment without impairing administrations & efficiency.
Jeff Davis
68 pd 272”
Citation: Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), telegram to G.T. Beauregard. Richmond, Va., 1 November 1864. In The telegraphic history of the Civil War, 1861-1865. AMs 434/16