John Wesly Culpepper Diary (Cont.)
Wednesday June 6th. We left camp about 10 today, and marched to the city where we
remain till 1 o’clock, when we left for Harpers Ferry. The excitement was great, as
we left. In every direction were seen handkerchiefs, flags etc., waving, as the cars moved
off. The cars were moving very slowly when I discovered an old negro man running along
near the side of the train with a box of cigars, which he was giving to the soldiers. He
handed one to me, as car {sic} which I was in passed him. I thought if the Yankees
could see such demonstrations of patriotism and loyalty on the part of our Southern
negroes, for whose freedom, they pretend to be fighting, they would certainly be ashamed
of themselves, for waging this unjust and unholy war upon the free people of the South.
And could they hear the negroes talk of killing the black heart rascals, they would surely
blush. - The more deeply with shame.
While in Richmond, we were very kindly treated by the citizens. We had dress parade
every evening at 6 o’clock. The encampment was always crowded on these occasions. The
crowds were composed, principally of the prettiest ladies in the city. I got acquainted
with a great many of the lovely little creatures. They were all very kind and sociable -
they cared nothing about formal introductions - No one was a stranger to them, who was a
soldier.
There was preaching at the camp on Sunday {June 3rd}, at 11 o’clock, by a
chaplain of a Mississippi regiment, who had come to the city on official business, I was
sorry I could not get his name. He took his text in Isaah, {sic} . 5th Chapt. and
4th verse; from which he preached an excellent sermon. He reminded me of Mr. W.D. Martin
very much. He talked like him, looked like him and acted like him. The soldiers behaved
themselves like they are accustomed to do at home. After we all marched to our respective
tents. In the afternoon, Simeon13 and I went to town. We found many of the
business houses open, and doing as much as on any other day. We were told they were mostly
Jews, who had taken the day before as Sunday. But there seemed to be very little respect
for the Sabbath by any.
We went to the Capitol (which was my third visit) After looking through the whole
building, we went out to the statues, which I have already mentioned. We next visited a
monument of the immortal Henry Clay which I had seen 2 or 3 days before. It is situated
about 100 yards from the Capitol, inside the inclosure {sic} . The statue which is
in a speaking posture with the right hand extended, looks almost as natural as life, It is
made of snow white marble, in which are represented the veins in his forehead, his
furrowed checks, and the sinews in his aged hands. The very wrinkles in his coat, pants,
vest, shirt, collar, cravat and shoes, with the seams in all his clothing, look like the
apparel of a living man.
We then went to the river, in the bank of which was an establishment for making
cartridges, filling bombs etc., There were 200 hands then at work. They stop for neither
night nor Sunday.
They make about 30000 rifles and musket cartridges per day, besides filling bombs. The
Superintendant {sic} being about we could not get to see them operating. The armory
is but a short distance above; but our time being about out we didn’t have an
oppertunity {sic} of visiting it. We expected to return and look through the whole
concern.
2 or 3 days before this time (Sunday). I went down to the boat landing to see 2
steam ships which were taken from the New Yorkers by the Confederacy. They are being
converted into ships of war. I went all through them and saw the finest saloons there I
have ever seen. They surpass any parlor I have ever had the pleasure of being in. I went
to the city Tuesday the 5th of June for the last time before we were to leave. Simeon and
several of the boys were with me. We went to the Penitentary {sic} and the
proprietor, or superintendant, sent a man through the whole establishment with us. We saw
a great many things which were wonders to boys who had never visited such a place before.
Carding, spinning, & weaving, with hundreds of other things too tedious to note down.
I purchased a pair of shoes there which I bought from 50 cts. to 100 cheaper than I could
get them any where else. I then concluded to go to the armory, but omitted doing so,
consequently, left the city without gratifying my curiosity in that particular.
I was asked time and again where we were from, their response would be "Huzza
for Georgia!"
In 2 or 3 days after we got to Richmond, president Davis14 arrived. It was
stated that he was quite unwell, but in a day or two he was able to visit our camp. He
came very late in the evening, after sun set - So late that we were unable to tell
anything about his features. All the companies were formed to receive him. He and Col.
Bartow15 then up and down our line, about 20 paces in front of the battallion {sic}.
He then stopped and made a few remarks to us, but he did not speak very loudly, and being
some distance off I could not understand anything he said.
A day or two after that I was in the city. I went to the Capitol and saw several
gentlemen in the Senate Chamber, and the doors closed. I went to an old gentleman who
seemed to be Superintendant of the building, and asked him what kind of a secret session
where {sic} they holding? He told me that it was President Davis, Gov. Letcher16
, Com Murray, Wigfall17 of Texas and 3 or 4 other distinguished gentlemen holding a counsel
of war. I took my seat where I could see them all, but could hear nothing. They all seemed
to be in fine spirits. The President looked particularly pleased. He was laughing, or
wearing a very pleasant smile all the while. When he commenced talking the rest appeared
to give him their undivided attention. Old Gov. Letcher looked about like some old chicken
peddler, with his Sunday clothes on. He smoked his long stem pipe all the while I
remained. He was the commenest {sic} looking man in the crowd.
The Hon. Robert Tombs {read: Toombs}18 got to Richmond 5 or 6 days
before we left. He visited our camp, and when we went out on dress parade he made us a
splendid speech of about a 1/2 an hour. He said that he was proud to say that Geo. was second to
no state in the Confederacy in this great contest, and knowing the valor of her sons, he
hoped that they would have the post of honor assigned them.
The evening we left Richmond, a large crowd of ladies attended our camp as usual. After
the parade was over I walked around among the ladies. I saw 2 very pretty ones sitting a
few paces from the crowd. I went to them, asked permission to take a seat near them. They
very pleasantly answered that I could do so. I took a chair, sat down, and commenced a
conversation. I soon found one of them was a Yankee, had been living South but 12 months.
She told me that she had rather live North. That she did not like our institutions’ {sic}.
Such remarks soon brought about a lively discussion between us. The discussion growing
still hotter, she began to get restless, and asked her companion, if it was not time to
start home. The lady who was with her, was a native Virginian. She would frequently add a
thought in confirmation of what I said. There are many more such in Richmond and
occasionally in the Country. But we were leaving the city, as above stated, and all was
excitement beyond description.
We passed Hanover Court House some time that evening. I was told that immortal {Henry}
Clay was born at that place. I took particular notice of the Country, as I desired to
see "Slusher", through which the mill boy rode; and which are known, as the
birthplace of the Statesman all over the world. I saw the best wheat there, that have ever
seen anywhere.
Being very unwell, I soon, ceased to pay attention to anything. It was then about
night, and I fell asleep, I slept till ate {sic} in the night, when I awoke very
sick, I suffered excessively till day, when I got easy {colloq.} and went to sleep.
We passed Culpepper19 Court House some time in the night. Being asleep I did
not know when we passed there. Arrived at Manassa21 Junction at 3 o’clock
at night. There are about 10000 troops stationed at and near this place, under command of
Gen. Beaureguard.20
A portion of the regiment left at day light. The remainder lay over till 12
o’clock. I was very desirous of seeing Gen. Beaureguard, but I was informed that he
was very busy at his quarters. He is having ditches dug, and breastworks thrown up, for
several miles around. They are expecting an attack at that point, and are strongly
fortifying it. It is 30 miles from Washington, and 27 miles from Alexandria.
I felt very weak, but concluded I would walk over to the hotel and ate breakfast, for I
was very hungry, not having eaten anything since the day before. I was informed at the
hotel that there was no chance to get anything till dinner. I then walked, up towards the
Gen’s quarters, and in passing the soldiers, I was asked to stop and get something to
eat. I gladly accepted the invitation and got a very good breakfast.
There were several Yankee prisoners in the guard house, whom I was anxious to see; but
none could get in except commissioned officers, consequently I was deprived of seeing
them.
While there I saw a young Washington, a relative of George Washington. He is Lieut. in
some company but don’t think he will ever be anything like his relative the Gen. I
think him quite an ordinary youth.
At 12 o’clock we left Manassa. Though unwell I was delighted to look out at the
lofty peeks of the Blue Ridge Mts. which shot their heads above the clouds, so that the
top, in places could not be seen. We passed through some of the prettiest farming lands in
the vallies {sic}, I have ever seen. The cars stopped at a branch {colloq.} for
the soldiers to get water, and it was a perfect show to sit off and see them going over
the fences like a drove {colloq.} of black birds. As they were getting over the
fence, they saw a little ground squirrel, and every fellow took after it, and of all the
yelling, up and down the fence, they had it.
We passed near the place which {Gen. George} Washington had selected to retreat
into, if he should be compelled to do so. It is between two mountains near Strasburg. I
don’t recollect {colloq.} the names of the mountains. I was told there is but
one way to get between them, which is just wide enough for a wagon to go in at. The valley
between them contains considerable space, and the sides of the mountains are
perpendicular.
We got to Strasburg at 7 o’clock, where we overtook the remainder of our regiment.
We were marched to the Quarter Master, where we were supplied with supper, lodging and
breakfast.
The meat had been cooked some time and tasted badly; consequently I did not eat much
supper. We had a very good place to sleep, and I rested finely. The next morning I went to
the hotel where I got a good breakfast. We had expected to have to walk from that place to
Winchester, 18 miles; but wagons, {and} coaches were prepared to carry {colloq.}
us. I procured a seat upon the top of a good coach drawn by 4 elegant horses.
We left at 10 o’clock a.m., {Wednesday} June 6th for Winchester. We had a
very pleasant ride, as it was cloudy and a gentle breeze was stirring all the while. We
had a beautiful view of the country, crops and the manner of cultivation.
The land is very good, but it does not look like it would produce as well as ours. The
fields of wheat we saw, would yield from 20 to 40 bushels per acre. The rich clover fields
were in full bloom.
I saw the finest horses and cattle I have ever seen. The driver, a very intelligent
man; told us that the lands were worth $100.00 per acre. He was surprised to learn what
good land was worth in Ga.
We arrived at the beautiful little village of Middletown at 12 o’clock. The war
spirit run as high there {colloq.}, as any place we have passed since we left home.
While the horses were being changed, I got off the stage-coach, and went into a house
near by, where I saw some young ladies. I went in and told them I wished to comb my hair,
as it had not been combed in a day or two. I was kindly received and well entertained till
the driver called, "all aboard." One of the young ladies have {sic} me a
bouquet and told me I must keep it. But I was sorry I lost it in Winchester.
We were on our way to Winchester, and viewing the beautiful scenery on the road side.
The next place we passed was Newtown, nothing attractive about it particularly. The fences
in Strasburgh {sic} and Winchester, are made almost entirely of stone and plank.
The stone fences are built of slade {sic} rock, commencing {colloq.} at the
bottom, from 2 to 3 feet, wide and tapering up to the hight {sic} of 4 to 5 feet,
and from 6 to 12 inches thick at the top. The plank fences were as nice as yard pailings {sic?}.
At 3 o’clock p.m. we landed in Winchester, a flourishing city of 5000 inhabitants.
We were quartered 1/2 mile from the city, at the "Fair Ground." a very
comfortable situation. Those who rode in wagons were some distance behind, and I went back
to wait till they came in.
There are more women here than at any place we have stopped. The whole place was
crowded and of course I was soon giving them a chat. I got as many flowers as I wished.
In 2 or 3 hours the boys all come in {colloq.}. As they were passing through, I
got in a wagon and went on to the camp with them. About 9 o’clock that night, the
"Winchester Band" came out to the camp and played some pretty pieces, in honor
of our regiment.
(Next Page)
Footnotes:
13
The writer’s younger brother SIMEON Fletcher Culpepper also served in the
8th Georgia CSA
14
DAVIS, Jefferson (1808-1889) The only president of the Confederacy, Jefferson
Davis proved to be something less than the revolutionary leader necessary to lead a
fledgling nation to independence; he himself would have preferred to serve as a military
leader. Born in Kentucky, he was graduated from West Point in 1828 and was posted to the
Pacific Northwest. There he served with he infantry until 1833 when he transferred to the
dragoons. Two years later he resigned as a first lieutenant when he eloped with the
daughter of his commander, Zachary Taylor. Thereafter a Mississippi planter, he lost his
wife shortly after the wedding and then married Varina Howell. Elected as a Democrat to
Congress he served in the House of Representatives from 1845 to 1847. During the Mexican
War he compiled an enviable record as a colonel of the 1st Mississippi Rifles. Wounded at
Buena Vista, he turned down a commission as a brigadier general. He then won a seat in the
U.S. Senate, which he held until named Franklin Pierce’s war secretary in 1853. He
held this post for the full tenure of the Pierce presidency and then won reelection to the
Senate. A staunch supporter of states’ rights, he backed his state’s secession
and made a powerful speech on the floor of the Senate when he and four other senators
withdrew from that body on January 21, 1861. Inaugurated nine days later in Montgomery,
Alabama, he was elected as regular president for a six-year term on November 6, 1861, and
was reinaugurated on Washington’s Birthday in Richmond. His interest in the military
defense of his country soon became apparent; his early war secretaries served as little
more than clerks as he himself supervised the affairs of the department. He made frequent
forays into the field, arriving at 1st Bull Run just as the fight was ending, and was
later under fire at Seven Pines where he place Robert E. Lee in command of what became the
Army of Northern Virginia. Later he toured the western theater where he supported his old
friend Braxton Bragg against the criticisms of his subordinates. His handling of the high
command was extremely controversial. There were long-standing feuds with Beauregard and
Joseph E. Johnston(see related footnotes # 20 & # 30). His defense of certain
non-performing generals, such as Bragg and Pemberton, irritated many in the South. On the
political front his autocratic ways fostered a large and well-organized anti-Davis faction
the Confederate Congress, especially in the Senate. His attempts to manage the war
effectively by placing more power in the hands of the central government were often
thwarted by the states’ rights philosophy that had led to its very founding. It is
quite apparent that he is more popular in the South today than he was during his tenure.
Upon the fall of Richmond he fled south with the remnants of his government and was
finally captured near Irwinville, Georgia, on May 10, 1865. He was sent off to prison at
Fort Monroe, faced with charges of treason. Never brought to trial, he was finally
released on bail after two years of confinement. Always contentious, he wrote his
autobiography entitled The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. In this
1881 work he refought the war, including his view s of those feuds with officers like
Beauregard and Johnston who received much of the blame for the Confederacy’s demise.
He lived out his remaining years in Mississippi, never seeking to have his citizenship
restored. In spite of this, it was restored during the presidency of Jimmy Carter.
Sifakis, Stewart Who Was Who in the Civil War p. 172 [Eaton, Clement, Jefferson
Davis])
15
BARTOW, Francis Stebbins (1816-1861) Although his only military experience was
five years as a militia captain, lawyer Francis Bartow became Georgia’s first martyr
of the Civil War. As a Whig and later a member of the Know-Nothings, Bartow was a
prominent local politician, although he had been defeated for a seat in Congress. As
captain of the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Bartow took part in the capture of Fort
McAllister at the time of the secession of Georgia. As a member of the secession
convention he was named to the Confederate Provisional Congress where he chaired the
Committee on Military Affairs. When the second session adjourned, Bartow’s company
volunteered for service for the term of the war. Bartow’s assignments included:
captain, Company B, 8th Georgia (May 21, 1861); colonel, 8th Georgia (June 1, 1861); and
commanding 2nd Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah (June-July 2, 1861). After service in the
Valley, Bartow led part of his brigade, along with the rest of Johnston’s army, to
join Beauregard along Bull Run. Here, on July 21, 1861, the partial brigade was part of
the force that tried to stop the Union movement to turn the left flank. After fighting
north of the Warrenton Turnpike, the remnants of his command were rallying on Henry House
Hill when Bartow was killed(see related footnote # 26). In Georgia he was popularly
acclaimed a brigadier general, although never appointed to that rank, and was considered a
martyr to the cause. (Sifakis, Stewart,Who Was Who in the Civil War pp. 37-38
[Freeman, Douglas S., Lee’s Lieutenants.])
16
LETCHER, John (1813-1884) To the Confederacy John Letcher was the opposite of
Joseph Brown of Georgia — a cooperative governor (see related footnote # 1).
Born in the Shenandoah Valley, he became a lawyer and editor of the Lexington Valley
Star, a Democratic organ. A champion of his section of the state against the historic
domination of the Tidewater, he was propelled to a seat in Congress in 1851. Although a
states’ righter he opposed the extreme doctrines of John C. Calhoun. He kept his seat
in Congress until 1859 when he ran for and was elected to a four-year term as
Virginia’s governor. Taking office at the start of 1860, he supported Douglas for
president and urged a convention of the states to attempt to iron out the nation’s
difficulties. At the same time, as a precaution, he strengthened Virginia’s military
position. His planned convention was not called by the state legislature until a year
after he took office; by this time it was too late, Lincoln having been elected and
several states having seceded. He delayed calling a state convention, which might take the
state out of the Union, until January 1861. Thanks in large part to his efforts, the
convention had a large cooperationist element and refused secede in February and March.
With the firing on Fort Sumter and Lincoln’s call for troops from Virginia, Letcher
promptly refused and in a matter of days Virginia was out of the Union. Letcher supervised
the organization of the Virginia land and naval forces and their eventual incorporation
into the Confederate service. One of his chief accomplishments was the appointment of such
officers as Lee and Jackson. During the war he opposed many of Jefferson Davis’ war
measures, especially the draft and impressment of supplies for the army, but went along
with them until the victory could be won. Only then would he challenge them in court to
prevent the Confederacy from becoming too centralized, as had happened in the United
States, and infringing upon states’ rights. His constant collaboration with the
Confederate authorities in unpopular measures did not sit well with his constituency. He
did opposed the central government on such matters as the treatment of Union officers who
incited slave revolts and Union soldiers from western Virginia. He wanted to be more
severe but gave in to fears of retaliation. In order to continue his political career
after the conclusion of his term, he ran, in 1863, for a seat in the Second Confederate
Congress but was defeated. He returned home in early 1864, and his home was burned by
federal forces in June. Impoverished by his service to the state, he resumed his law
practice. He was imprisoned for six weeks at he end of the war and served briefly in the
state legislature before his death. (Sifakis, Stewart Who Was Who in the Civil War p.
384 [Boney, Francis Nash, The Life of John Letcher, Virginia’s Civil War Governor]).
17
WIGFALL, Louis Trezevant (1816-1874) Although also a brigadier, Louis T.
Wigfall gave his principal service, if such it can be called, in the Confederate Senate.
Born in South Carolina, he had been an early secessionist there and in Texas which he
represented in the U.S. Senate. He was admitted to the Provisional Confederated Congress
on April 29, 1861, where he served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Earlier that month
he had played a leading role in arranging Fort Sumter’s surrender, and he soon
decided to return to the military. His brief service was limited to northern Virginia
where his assignments included: colonel, 1st Texas (August 28, 1861); brigadier general,
CSA (October 21, 1861); and commanding Texas Brigade, Forces Near Dumfries, Potomac
District, Department of Northern Virginia (November 12, 1861-February 20, 1862). Resigning
on the latter date, he took a seat in the First Regular Congress and served throughout
war. He sat on the committees on: Foreign Affairs; Military Affairs; Territories; and Flag
and Seal. A cantankerous soul who had fought two prewar duels, Wigfall soon came into
conflict with President Davis(see related footnote # 14). After the chief executive
vetoed Wigfall’s bill to upgrade staff positions in the army and limit presidential
selections, the Texan carried his fight into social circles, refusing to stand when Davis
entered. A friend of the military and the generals, he was especially supportive of Joe
Johnston and Beauregard(see related footnotes #20 & #30). However, he was also
an obstructionist in opposing Davis’ nominations. He spent six years in self-imposed
exile in England before returning via Baltimore to Texas, never adjusting to defeat.
(Sifakis, Stewart Who Was Who in the Civil War p. 712 [King, A.L., Louis
Wigfall: Southern Fire-Eater.])
18
TOMBS (sic) TOOMBS, Robert Augustus (1810-1885) During his
career as a lawyer and politician, serving in both houses in his native Georgia and in the
U.S. Senate, Robert A. Toombsgradually became a secessionist. After attending the
state’s secession convention, he was named to the Provisional Confederate Congress
where he served on the Committee on Finance. An aspirant for the presidency, he instead
became the first secretary of state on February 21, 1861(see related footnote # 1)
. Bored, he stepped down in July and, capitalizing upon his experience as a captain of
volunteers during the Creek War, entered the military service. His assignments included:
brigadier general, CSA (July 19, 1861); commanding brigade, 2nd corps, Army of the Potomac
(Summer-October 22, 1861); commanding brigade, G.W. Smith’s Division,(in Potomac
District until March), Department of Northern Virginia October 22, 1861-April 1862);
commanding brigade, D.R. Jones’ division, Magruder’s Command, same department
(April -July 3,1862); temporarily commanding the division (April 1862); and commanding
brigade, Jones’ Division, 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia (July and August
30-September 17, 1862). Seeing action in the Seven Days, he was criticized by D.H. Hill
for the behavior of his brigade at Malvern Hill. His demand for satisfaction went
unanswered. Still retaining a seat in congress, he was absent for part of the summer but
rejoined his command at 2nd Bull Run. At Antietam his brigade performed creditably and he
suffered a hand wound. At about the time that congress adjourned he submitted his
resignation, which took effect on March 4, 1863. He was disgruntled about being passed
over for promotion. He lost a race for the Senate but was named adjutant and inspector
general for the Georgia Militia in the Atlanta Campaign. Fleeing the country to avoid
arrest at the war’s close he returned and resumed his law practice. Late in life he
suffered from blindness and alcoholism. (Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War
p. 657 [Thompson, William Y., Robert Toombs of Georgia]).
19
Read "CULPEPER" Court House, Virginia
20
BEAUREGARD, Pierre Gustave Toutant (1818-1893) The services of "The Hero
of Fort Sumter," Pierre G. T. Beauregard, were not utilized to their fullest due to
bad blood between the Confederate general and Jefferson Davis(see related footnote #
14) . The native Louisianan had graduated second in the 1838 class at West Point.
There he had become a great admirer of Napoleon and was nicknamed "The Little
Napoleon." Posted to the artillery, he was transferred to the engineers a week later.
As a staff officer with Winfield Scott in Mexico he won two brevets and was wounded at
both Churusbusco and Chapultepec. In the interwar years he was engaged in clearing the
Mississippi River of obstructions. In 1861 he served the shortest term ever — January
23-28— as superintendent at West Point. Southern leanings probably resulted in his
prompt removal.. On February 20, 1861, he resigned his captaincy in the engineers and
offered his services to the South. His confederate assignments included: brigadier
general, CSA (March 1, 1861) commanding Charleston Harbor (March 3-May 27, 1861);
commanding Alexandria Line (June 2-20, 1861); commanding 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac
(July 20-October 22, 1861); general, CSA (August 31, 1861 to rank from July 21);
commanding Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia (October 22, 1861-January 29,
1862); commanding Army of the Mississippi (March 17-29 and April 6-May 7, 1862); second in
command , Army of the Mississippi and Department #2 (March 29-April 6, 1862); commanding
the department (April 6-June 17, 1862); commanding Department of South Carolina, Georgia
and Florida (August 29, 1862-April 20, 1864); commanding Department of North Carolina and
Southern Virginia April 22-ca. September 23, 1864); commanding Military Division of the
West (October 17, 1864-March 16, 1865); and second in command, Army of Tennessee (March
16-April 26, 1865). Placed in charge of the South Carolina troops in Charleston Harbor, he
won the nearly bloodless victory at Fort Sumter. "The Little Creole" was hailed
throughout the South. Ordered to Virginia, he commanded the forces opposite Washington and
created the Confederate Army of the Potomac. Reinforced by Joseph E. Johnston and his Army
of the Shenandoah, Beauregard was reduced to corps command under Johnston the day before
1st Bull Run. However, during the battle Beauregard, being familiar with the field,
exercised tactical command while Johnston forwarded troops to the threatened left(see
related footnote # 30) . Both officers later claimed that they could have taken the
Union capital if they had been properly supplied with rations for their men. This was one
of Beauregard’s first conflicts with Davis. Nonetheless he was named a full general
from the date of the battle and early in 1862 was sent to the West as Albert Sidney
Johnston’s second in command. Utilizing Napoleonic style, he drafted the attack
orders for Shiloh add took command when Johnston was mortally wounded on the first day of
the battle. On the he evening of the first day he let victory slip through his fingers by
calling off the attacks. Controversy over his decision has raged to his day. The next day
he was driven form the field by Grant’s and Buell’s combined armies.. He was
eventually forced to evacuate Corinth, Mississippi —his supply base— in the face
of Henry W. Halleck’s overwhelming force. Shortly after that he went on sick leave
without gaining Davis’ permission; he was permanently relieved of his army and
departmental commands on June 27, 1862, by special direction of the president. Two month
later he returned to the scene of his earlier triumph as commander along the Southern
coast from the North Carolina-South Carolina line to the tip of Florida. He held this
command for over a year and a half and was engaged in the determined defense of Charleston
against naval and ground forces. Ordered north, he took command in North Carolina and
southern Virginia while Lee faced Grant in northern Virginia. Gradually the two forces
were pushed together in an awkward command arrangement. Beauregard managed to bottle up
Benjamin F. Butler in the Bermuda Hundred lines after defeating him at Drewry’s
Bluff. This was Beauregard’s finest performance of the war. At this point he started
making grandiose proposals for defeating both Butler and Grant and invading the North by
taking a large part of Lee’s army with him. This resulted in lengthy correspondence
between the two commanders and the Richmond authorities. Beauregard also managed to thwart
the early Union attempts to take Petersburg while Lee was still north of the James River.
With the siege of the city under way, he continued to serve under Lee until September 1864
when he was assigned to overall command in the West with John B. Hood’s Army of
Tennessee and Richard Taylor’s’ s Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East
Louisiana under him. With no forces under his immediate command he was powerless in trying
to stop Sherman’s March to the Sea. In the final days of the war he was again second
in command to Joseph E. Johnston, this time in North Carolina. Following the capitulation
he returned to New Orleans and refused high rank in the Egyptian and Rumanian armies.
Engaged in railroading, his reputation was tarnished by his association with the Louisiana
Lottery as a supervisor. For a time he was Louisiana’s adjutant general, and he
engaged in historical writing including his A Commentary on the Campaign and Battle of
Manassas. (Sifakis, Stewart, Who Was Who in the Civil War pp. 43-44[Williams,
T. Harry, P.G.T. Beauregard, Napoleon in Gray]).
21
Read "MANASSAS" Junction, Virginia
Copyright 1997, Capos Conley Culpepper II. All Rights
Reserved.
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