Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard

BEAUREGARD, PIERRE GUSTAVE TOUTANT (bō-re-gär'), an American military officer, born in St. Martin's parish, La., May 28, 1818; was graduated at the United States Military Academy and appointed a brevet Second Lieutenant of Artillery in 1838; was promoted First Lieutenant and transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1839; distinguished himself in the Mexican War, where he won the brevet of Captain for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco, and of Major for Chapultepec, where he was twice wounded. He resigned his commission after the secession of Louisiana in February, 1861, and was appointed commander of the Confederate forces at Charleston, S. C., and there opened the hostilities of the Civil War by bombarding Fort Sumter, on April 11. After the evacuation of the Fort by Major Anderson, General Beauregard was transferred to Virginia where he commanded the Confederate forces in the battle of Bull Run, on July 21. In March, 1862, he was ordered to the Army of the Mississippi, under Gen. Albert S. Johnston, and in April following fought the battle of Shiloh, gaining a victory over the National forces the first day, but being defeated by General Grant on the second day. Failing health kept him from active duty till June, 1863, when he took charge of the defense of Charleston against the combined land and naval forces. He remained in command there till April, 1864, when he was ordered to Richmond to strengthen its defenses. On May 16, he attacked General Butler in front of Drury's Bluff, and forced him back to his intrenchments between the James and the Appomattox rivers. In anticipation of General Sherman's successful march through the Carolinas, he ordered General Hardee to evacuate Charleston, which was done, Feb. 17, 1865. He attempted to aid General Joseph E. Johnston in opposing General Sherman, but in April surrendered with the former to the latter. After the war he became president of the New Orleans, Jackson and Mississippi Railroad Company, Adjutant-General of the State, and a manager of the Louisiana State Lottery. In 1866 the chief command of the Rumanian army was tendered to him, and in 1869 that of the army of the Khedive of Egypt, both of which he declined. He published "The Principles and Maxims of the Art of War" (Charleston, 1863), and "Report of the Defense of Charleston" (Richmond, 1864), and was the last survivor of the full generals of the Confederacy. He died in New Orleans, Feb. 20, 1893.

SOURCE: Collier’s New Encyclopedia, Anniversary Edition, ©1928, Vol. 1, p. 460