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:
Petersburg
May 17/64
Scout has just arrived from Old Point and reports very small force on the Peninsula. No reinforcements have been sent Butler since Friday—which were in five Ocean Steamers and estimated at about twenty five hundred. The force at Fort Powhatan are under Genl [Wilde?] and composed of negroes numbering about 2,000. The Enemy have also a small force at Berkley on the North Side of James River.
The Yankees have repaired all the wharves from Berkley down To grove Wharf on the North Shore of James River.
Jas H. Mullyan
Citation:James H. Mullyan, telegram about enemy troop strength. Petersburg, 17 May 1864. AMs 1168/11