October 6, 1864: John Bell Hood to Braxton Bragg

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 is one of approximately 1000 military telegrams in P.G.T. Beauregard’s papers at the Rosenbach.

Transcript:

By telegraph from 4 Miles Southwest of Last Mountain

P.O 5 Via Neronan 6^th 64

Gen Braxton Bragg

Lt. Gen Stewart with his Corps struck the western and Atlantic Railroad at Big Shanty on the evening of the third of Oct & effectually destroyed ten miles—He captured some three hundred & fifty prisoners at Acworth & Big Shanty—Maj Genl French is moving today to attack Allatoona—Shermans army appears to be moving out of Atlanta to meet us.

Signed J B Hood Genl

Citation: John Bell Hood (1831-1879), telegram to Braxton Bragg. 6 October 1864. AMs 1168/11