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:
May 26th 1862
By Telegraph from Richmond May 26 1862
To Genl G.T. Beauregard
Take last plan proposed in your letter to Gen’l Cooper of fourteenth inst. Commencing latter End running backwards.
K Y H P I O C R M/I Y S S C W K M YP J E/P T W P R D G C W C Q C Y/N W M Y P W G B B A C V/W M Z P Y H R O G H T P/R T M C M Q K Q O Y G W/L N T S R N Q O R W G A/W C W Q R N I R Y M K/Y G P L P S K C W A R I/Y S C N U L W G A F R I/G Y M L H X C Y G W I Y/H W C T D P L Q C Y N C/M Q Y A R A Y N U L R/B P C N R L Y M ? R W/Y G P I R W Y M I Y G H/Q P K N Z P Q O Y M/K Y G I L H K Y G W/Q L Q R B P Z W B/R I O Z M R X I R H/T C H U K Y G P Z B/V P L Q C Z H W H Z P/Q O E H P Z in T H L/J C H ? W G B B A C/V W M P Y S Q O L U/D G L P Q R H
R. E. Lee
Genl
290 pd
16 pd
Citation:Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), telegram to G.T. Beauregard. Richmond, 26 May 1862. In The telegraphic history of the Civil War, 1861-1865. AMs 434/16
Many thanks to David Kaminski and Nan Barchowsky for their assistance with the transcription.