Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant

[Nico_Davout]

I have searched forum but I couldn`t find any topic about general P.G.T. Beauregard. Is he not an interesting person?

I have only read one book about him (not only about him of course) - Struggle for the Heartland. He was presented as capable general, the one who in reality (along with Bragg) created Army of Tennessee (A.S.Johnston forces in reality were independent corps: Polk in Columbus, Hardee in Bowling Green plus some minor units in East TN and in Fort Henry/Donelson), who planned battle of Shiloh. And of course hero of the Fort Sumter, Manassas, Charlston and Petersburg !!!

What are Your opinions, anyone can recommend good biography?

Do You think that he would be much, much, much better replacement for Bragg as commander of AoT in 1864? He had offensive spirit (Shiloh, proposition to Lee in 1864 to destroy Butler and then hit Grant), so Atlanta campaign could have different outcome.

[ole]

Bo certainly had his good points. Unfortunately, most of them remain hidden behind his personality.
Ole

[OpnDownfall]

From what little I know of him, I always thought he was one of the few Generals who truly saw the 'big picture' of the war. The too elaborate planning and ignoring problems of large movements of troops over relatively long distances, could be the excuses of the less gifted complaining against the more versatile and visionary.

His frail health was a real hinderence, but he might have overcome that problem, but he had no chance against his other problem, the ill feelings of Jefferson Davis.

[Capt Coxetter]

What did Davis have against Beauregard?

Capt. Coxetter

[hoosier]

One possible reason is that, after the first battle of Bull Run (Manassas), Beauregard and Joe Johnston (for whom Davis didn't much care, either) both made assertions that they felt they could have gone ahead and taken Washington if only they had received more support. Davis may have felt that this criticism was directed against him personally.

[ole]

Another might be that in late Spring, 1862, Bo gave himself sick leave without asking Davis (presumably Bo at least informed him that he would be gone for a while).
Ole

[larry_cockerham]

Ol Pierre was always in there trying from out in the boondocks where he couldn't alter Davis' power base. Give him a little credit for the campaign in Tennessee in 1864 as well:

November 3, 1864
General Hood ordered Forrest’s cavalry to Bainbridge. Forrest was “busy” at Johnsonville and managed to do some “good” while General Hood was making up his mind. On this day General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard met with Hood at Tuscumbia and the decision was made to ‘invade” Tennessee. Just as is the case in 2004, the weather in November in north Alabama and Tennessee was horrible. The rains and bitter cold arrived right on schedule. Reports stated wagons sliding off muddy roads making supplies a very precious commodity. The only railroad to Nashville ran through Tullahoma and was in Union control, thus the route from Florence was Hood’s only option for transportation with wagons, horseback and foot the only mode of travel available.

[trice]

Originally Posted by ole

Another might be that in late Spring, 1862, Bo gave himself sick leave without asking Davis (presumably Bo at least informed him that he would be gone for a while).
Ole

Apparently he did not. What happened was that Davis sent to have Bragg transferred elsewhere. The reply came back that Bragg could not go because Beauregard was on sick leave and Bragg was commanding the army while he was gone, but somehow no one in Richmond had been informed about it.

Davis was, to say the least, surprised and disappointed by this. Bragg was installed as permanent commander; Beauregard was relieved and assigned elsewhere.

Regards,
Tim

[gary]

I think Beauregard did a very credible defense of Charleston which didn't fall until Feb. 1865. He tied down an inordinate amount of Union resources until Grant recognized it as a sideshow unworthy of the effort.