Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard.Born May 28, 1818, best known as a General for the Confederate States of Americaduring the American Civil War, was also a writer, civil servant, and inventor.

Beauregard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to a white Creole family. He trained at the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1838, and excelled both as an artilleryman and military engineer. He served as a major under Winfeild Scott during the Mexican-American War. He briefly entered into politics in his home town, and was narrowly defeated in the election for Mayor of New Orleans in 1858. He then returned to teach at West Point, where he rose to become the Superintendent of the Military Academy, then resigned when Loisiana seceded from the Union.

Beauregard was one of 8 full generals in the Confederate Army. He recommended stationing strong forces to protect New Orleans, but was overruled by Jefferson Davis -- this started friction between Beauregard and Davis that would only get worse as years progressed. Beauregard's first assignment from the Confederate Government was command of the forces in Carleston, South Carolina, where on April 12, 1861 he opened fire on the Union held Fort Sumter, regarded as the start of the American Civil War. He led Confederate forces to victory in the First Battle of Manassas and commanded with mixed results until forced to withdraw at the Battle of Shiloh.

Beauregard successfully defended Charleston from repeated Union attacks 1862-1864. In 1864 he was appointed commander of Confederate forces in the West, where he fought without success to halt the advances of superior Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. He surrendered to the Union in April 1865.

After the war he spoke in favor of civil and voting rights for the recently freed slaves, an opinion not common among high-ranking Confederates.

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General Beauregard declined offers to take command of the armies of Romania 1868 and Egypt 1869.

He became involved in promotion of railroad, both as a company director and a consulting engineer. He invented a system of cable-powered street railway cars.

He served in the government of the State of Louisiana, first as adjutant general, and then less successfully as manager