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 dates one day before Union forces broke the New Orleans defenses. It is one of approximately 1000 military telegrams in P.G.T. Beauregard’s papers at the Rosenbach.
Transcript:
Head Quarters Corinth April 22 1862
By Telegraph from New Orleans 22 1862
To Genl Beauregard
All the flags ordered by you & Genl Polk have been sent the latter by Capt Buckner Bombardments continue with terrible vigor we hold out well with few casualties
M Lovell
Citation: Mansfield Lovell (1822-1884), telegram to G. T. Beauregard. New Orleans, 22 April 1862. AMs 378/26