BEAUREGARD, PIERRE GUSTAVE TOUTANT, General, C.S.A. Autograph letter signed ("G.T. Beauregard") TO GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG, "Head Quarters in the Field near Chester, Va.," 3 June l864. 1 1/2 page, folio, integral blank, on British-made (blackade-run?) blue stationery with Britannia watermark. PLANNING THE PETERSBURG DEFENSES Beauregard, who had recently defeated a Union army under Ben Butler at Drewry's Bluff, wants to ensure "that there may not be, hereafter, any possible misapprehension of the part I am called upon to act in the momentous events which are transpiring....I send you herewith copies of the telegrams which have been exchanged between General Lee & myself since the 1st....You will not doubt of my readiness and anxiety to co-operate with Genl. Lee in any manner...towards the crushing of the foe on his front. I shall be found willing and ready at all times, to obey any orders the War Department may judge fit & proper to give on the subject; but I cannot...advise the withdrawal of more troops from this vicinity. Already 13,000 out of 20,000 infantry have been sent to the North side of the James River since the Battle of Drewry's Bluff; and with the forces remaining...it might become impossible to prevent the [enemy] from destroying the communications between Richmond & Petersburg, nay, from capturing Petersburg, which could not be retaken without great great sacrifice of life. "If Ransom's brigade...in Johnson's Division were withdrawn from here, it would become necessary to abandon our lines in front of Bermuda Hundred's neck [which bottled up Butler's army], to ensure a strategic position at Port Walthall Junction, from thence to protect Drewry's Bluff, the Rl. Rd., and Petersburg, the Ironclad Gunboats guarding the crossing of the James River as far below Chaffin's Bluff as practicable. If Johnson's Division were ordered to the North side of James River, it would then be necessary to occupy the Junction with at least one Brigade...cavalry (at least 2 regiments)...to watch closely in front of the enemy's lines across Bermuda Hundred neck, and give timely notice of any offensive expedition...." Beauregard's fears for the weakness of the southern portion of the Virginia lines about Petersburg were not unfounded. After an initial Union assault on Petersburg on 9 June (six days after this letter) was repulsed, Grant found it impossible to turn Lee's flank near Richmond, and so in mid-June shifted his operations to south of the James, and the long siege of Petersburg commenced.
BEAUREGARD, PIERRE GUSTAVE TOUTANT, General, C.S.A. Autograph letter signed ("G.T. Beauregard") TO GENERAL BRAXTON BRAGG, "Head Quarters in the Field near Chester, Va.," 3 June l864. 1 1/2 page, folio, integral blank, on British-made (blackade-run?) blue stationery with Britannia watermark. PLANNING THE PETERSBURG DEFENSES Beauregard, who had recently defeated a Union army under Ben Butler at Drewry's Bluff, wants to ensure "that there may not be, hereafter, any possible misapprehension of the part I am called upon to act in the momentous events which are transpiring....I send you herewith copies of the telegrams which have been exchanged between General Lee & myself since the 1st....You will not doubt of my readiness and anxiety to co-operate with Genl. Lee in any manner...towards the crushing of the foe on his front. I shall be found willing and ready at all times, to obey any orders the War Department may judge fit & proper to give on the subject; but I cannot...advise the withdrawal of more troops from this vicinity. Already 13,000 out of 20,000 infantry have been sent to the North side of the James River since the Battle of Drewry's Bluff; and with the forces remaining...it might become impossible to prevent the [enemy] from destroying the communications between Richmond & Petersburg, nay, from capturing Petersburg, which could not be retaken without great great sacrifice of life. "If Ransom's brigade...in Johnson's Division were withdrawn from here, it would become necessary to abandon our lines in front of Bermuda Hundred's neck [which bottled up Butler's army], to ensure a strategic position at Port Walthall Junction, from thence to protect Drewry's Bluff, the Rl. Rd., and Petersburg, the Ironclad Gunboats guarding the crossing of the James River as far below Chaffin's Bluff as practicable. If Johnson's Division were ordered to the North side of James River, it would then be necessary to occupy the Junction with at least one Brigade...cavalry (at least 2 regiments)...to watch closely in front of the enemy's lines across Bermuda Hundred neck, and give timely notice of any offensive expedition...." Beauregard's fears for the weakness of the southern portion of the Virginia lines about Petersburg were not unfounded. After an initial Union assault on Petersburg on 9 June (six days after this letter) was repulsed, Grant found it impossible to turn Lee's flank near Richmond, and so in mid-June shifted his operations to south of the James, and the long siege of Petersburg commenced.
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