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:
Tupelo, June 28 1862
By Telegraph from Atlanta 27 1862
To Brig Genl Thos Jordan AAG
Brought all prisoners to Atlanta according to orders among them ten have been nursing small pox shall I send the ten immediately to the enemies lines upon parle. Two cases of small pox Yankee prisoners at Tuscaloosa where there is the forty first Ala Regt Col Talbots regiment should be moved immediately. It is doing nothing.
Chas M Graham
Capt. CSA
Asst Insp Genl
Western Dept.
Citation: Charles M. Graham, telegram to Thomas Jordan. Atlanta, 27 June 1862. AMs 1168/11