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:
Corinth Apl 25 1862
By Telegraph from Memphis Tenn 1862
To Gen Beauregard
My men, Infantry, artillery,& cavalry, are willing & anxious to be assigned to man the Montgomery Fleet to clear the river above Fort Pillow. Please assign us that duty we are all Confederate troops for the war but will organize differently if assigned to the fleet than we will if ordered to Corinth as we are to organize tomorrow. Please order as soon as possible through Generals Van Dorn or Price.
M Jeff Thompson
Citation: Meriwether Jeff Thompson (1826-1876), telegram to G. T. Beauregard. Memphis, Tenn.; 25 April 1862. AMs 1168/11