february southern military officer politician inventor writer civil servant prominent general american_civil_war today commonly referred rarely adult signed correspondence trained civil engineer served distinction engineer mexican american war following brief appointment superintendent west_point south resigned united_states_army brigadier general commanded defenses charleston south_carolina start civil war fort april months later won battle bull run near virginia commanded armies including battle tennessee siege northern mississippi returned charleston defended repeated naval land attacks union forces greatest achievement saving important industrial city virginia june nearby confederate capital richmond assaults overwhelmingly superior union_army forces influence confederate strategy poor professional relationships president senior generals officials april commander general convinced davis remaining cabinet members war needed end surrendered remaining armies confederacy including men following military career returned louisiana served railroad executive wealthy promoter early life education born sugar cane plantation louisiana miles outside new_orleans french family child descendant member italian noble family migrated france louisiana husband french welsh ancestry brothers sisters attended new_orleans private schools went french school new_york_city years new_york beginning age learned speak english french language louisiana attended west_point new_york instructors later commander surrendered start civil war west_point dropped surname treated middle fit classmates point rarely preferring graduated second class excelled military engineer army friends gave nicknames little little little napoleon career mexican american war served engineer general appointed captain battles major wounded shoulder thigh noted performance meeting scott convinced assembled general officers change plan attacking fortress officers enter mexico_city considered contributions dangerous reconnaissance missions strategy superiors significant engineer colleague captain disappointed lee officers received returned mexico years charge called mississippi lake defenses louisiana engineering work repairing old forts building new ones florida coast mobile alabama improved defenses jackson mississippi_river new_orleans worked board army navy engineers improve navigation shipping channels mouth mississippi created patented invention called self acting bar ships crossing bars sand clay serving army actively campaigned election democratic presidential candidate general mexican war impressed performance mexico_city pierce appointed engineer new_orleans huge granite building built sinking moist soil louisiana develop renovation program served position stabilized structure successfully service new_orleans dissatisfied peacetime officer informed late going join seized control nicaragua offered rank second command army senior officers including general chief convinced stay united_states briefly entered politics reform candidate mayor new_orleans promoted whig democratic parties challenge know party candidate narrowly defeated employing political influence brother law obtained appointment superintendent january orders revoked relinquished office days louisiana union protested cast improper reflection reputation position forcing southern officer hostilities began family married march march daughter sugar cane parish member prominent french families southern louisiana marie paternal grandfather second governor louisiana described having blue eyes fair skin couple children marie died march giving birth years later married daughter sugar cane baptist parish caroline sister law louisiana senator later confederate diplomat died new_orleans march union occupation children civil war charleston traveled steamship new_york new_orleans immediately began giving military advice local authorities included strengthening jackson guarded mississippi approaches new_orleans hoped named commander state army disappointed state legislature appointed aware offered rank colonel instead enrolled private battalion french time communicated newly chosen president davis senior position new rumors placed charge entire army infuriated concerned political situation federal presence fort davis selected command charleston defenses perfect combination military engineer charismatic southern leader needed time place confederate general officer appointed brigadier general march july promoted general seven appointed rank date rank fifth senior general arriving charleston march met governor inspected defenses harbor found disarray said display great deal way zeal energy little professional knowledge experience major wrote washington student west_point guarantee south_carolina actions exercised skill sound judgment wrote confederate capital montgomery alabama anderson officer firing old friend instructor sent cases fine whiskey boxes anderson officers anderson ordered gifts returned early april political tensions mounting demanded surrender planned union expedition provision fort arrive early morning april negotiations anderson failed aides sent deal personally anderson ordered shots american_civil_war fired nearby fort johnson bombardment lasted hours subjected thousands rounds fired batteries ringing harbor anderson surrendered april described extravagant praise confederacy hero fort received victory south slave louisiana wax day bull run summoned new confederate capital richmond virginia received hero welcome railroad stations route given command alexandria line defenses impending federal offensive organized brig west_point classmates confederate railroad junction devised strategies concentrate forces general aiming defend position initiate offensive washington despite rank lacked familiarity terrain ceded tactical planning impending battle professional courtesy president davis considered plans impractical army inexperienced field war davis argue tendencies grand strategies based formal military principles davis believed lacked pragmatic grasp logistics intelligence relative military strengths politics began early july element surprise armies planned opponent attack right flank struck crossing threatening left flank persisted moving troops attack right flank left urged travel threatened flank henry house hill weakly defended seeing strength union attack point insisted leave area immediate action coordinate overall battle position miles rear rallied troops riding men regimental colors giving inspirational speeches confederate line held final troops arrived launched counterattack routed union_army sending streaming disorder washington credits majority tactical decisions led victory judging acted chiefly novel general leading charge individual regiment riding line cheer troops accepting soldiers turn closest came major tactical decision intention withdraw line briefly advance reinforcements arrival fresh union troops nonetheless received bulk acclaim press general public july recommended president davis promoted general davis approved date rank established date victory july advocated use standardized battle flag stars bars confederate national flag avoid visual confusion flag worked create confederate women visiting army contributed silk material dresses create flags flags contained feminine pink martial red career worked flag adopted helped popular symbol confederacy army went winter quarters caused considerable friction confederate high command strongly advocated invasion maryland threaten flank rear washington plan rebuffed impractical requested new_orleans assumed union attack near future request denied general personal friend davis inadequate supplies available army issued public statements challenging ability confederate secretary war commands general enraged president davis report printed newspaper suggested davis interference plans prevented pursuit destruction army capture washington having political liability virginia transferred tennessee second command general relation effective march generals planned concentration confederate forces oppose advance combine army thrust tennessee river mississippi began april launched surprise attack nearly defeated senior general named deferred junior planning attack massive frontal assault marred improper organization forces successive attacks corps lines miles long assigning corps portion line assault arrangement caused units confusion command failed concentrate mass appropriate place line affect overall objectives attack near battle action mortally wounded positioned rear army send reinforcements forward assumed command army overall western department officially designated department number darkness fell chose attack grant final defensive line contracted tight backed landing decision controversial civil war numerous veterans historians wondered happened assault gone forward night believed battle essentially won men finish grant morning knew terrain crossed steep containing creek named extremely difficult grant defensive line heavy artillery unbeknownst ohio began arriving afternoon grant launched massive counterattack april overwhelmed retreated grant temporarily surprise attack near defeat causing superior assume field command combined armies slowly approached fortifications action called siege withdrew mississippi able thinking attack ran trains forth town blew troops massive reinforcements arriving retreated overwhelming union force contaminated water supplies april lost men death disease killed battle leaving critical rail junction fight controversial decision went medical leave requesting permission advance president davis relieved command replaced return charleston request allies confederate congress petitioned davis restore command west davis remained angry absence told stayed post carried litter wrote world ask restore general command given refuse ordered charleston took command coastal defenses south_carolina georgia florida replacing promoted lieutenant general transferred command defenses mississippi unhappy new assignment believing deserved command great confederate field armies performed successfully preventing capture charleston union naval land attacks april rear admiral commander led ironclad attack fort repulsed highly accurate artillery fire forces july september land forces brig launched series attacks fort wagner fortifications mouth harbor attempted destroy operation failed successful seizure effective threatening charleston period promoted innovative naval defense strategies early experimentation submarines naval mines called torpedoes civil war small vessel called torpedo ram swift boat fitted torpedo pole projecting bow water surprise enemy vessel underneath water line busy strategies generals confederacy proposed state governors meet union governors western states called midwest states today peace conference davis administration rejected idea caused considerable political maneuvering davis enemies congress proposed grand strategy submitted anonymously political allies reputation reinforce western armies expense army virginia destroy federal army tennessee induce relieve pressure maneuver army place destroyed continue ohio induce western states ally confederacy fleet torpedo built england recapture new_orleans ending war record plan officially presented government visiting forces florida repelled union advance jacksonville received telegram wife died march living union occupied new_orleans seriously ill years northern leaning local newspaper printed opinion condition exacerbated actions husband negative popular opinion people attended funeral union provided steamer carry body burial native parish wrote like rescue grave head army richmond april saw little opportunity military glory significant assaults charleston prospects major field command unlikely requested leave recover fatigue chronic throat instead received order report north_carolina near virginia border play key role defense virginia new assignment included virginia south took command april renamed initiative preparing spring offensive union concerned attacks south richmond critical supply lines richmond army grant moved south lee overland campaign launched surprise landings successfully lobbied military adviser prevent significant units small force transferred north richmond aid lee timely action coupled military incompetence butler union army threat lee supply line sector stable pressure began rise transfer troops lee send division lee battle cold harbor lee wanted took step offering command right wing cooperation replied passive aggressive manner willing success leave department orders cold harbor lee confederate high command unable grant strategic sense allowed prediction grant cross attempt seize lightly defended contained critical rail junctions supporting richmond lee despite persistent pleas reinforce sector convince colleagues danger june weak man force including boys old men patients military hospitals resisted assault known second battle withdrawing bermuda defenses reinforce city assuming correctly butler capitalize opening succeeded held long lee army arrive arguably finest combat performance war continued commanding defenses early days siege loss railroad august criticized attacking dissatisfied command arrangements lee hoped independent command desires thwarted instances lee chose lead expedition north threaten washington davis chose replace atlanta campaign return west fall atlanta september president davis considered replacing command asked find interested interested unclear davis seriously considered appointment end decided retain hood davis met georgia october offered command newly created responsible southern states georgia mississippi_river armies hood command job limited logistical advisory responsibilities true operational control armies join person emergency anxious return field accepted assignment major field operation fall hood invasion tennessee undertook despite counsel little operational logistical sense hood treat respect department commander communicating plans reluctantly making movements regard consequences supply line maintain hood traveled alabama tennessee began march sea atlanta savannah focused attention georgia ineffective stopping delaying advance inadequate local forces reluctant strip defenses locations concentrate furthermore excellent job intermediate final targets march savannah fell december army began march north south_carolina january late december found hood army severely damaged defeat battle nashville men fighting condition oppose advance attempted concentrate small forces reach columbia south_carolina state capital urgent dispatches richmond treated disbelief davis general chief confederate armies believe advancing supply line quickly observing concerned considered health lee recommended davis replaced change command came february cooperative disappointed replacement remainder war subordinate assigned routine matters combat responsibilities met president davis april assessment confederate situation helped convince davis meet negotiate surrender army surrendered near durham north_carolina april traveled mobile took naval transport hometown new_orleans august year house surrounded troops suspected inhabitants locked cotton press overnight complained general expressed annoyance enemy treatment life war reluctant seek amnesty confederate officer publicly swearing oath loyalty lee mayor new_orleans september confederate officers issued mass pardon president july final privilege american citizen right run public office restored petitioned congress relief bill behalf signed president grant july pursued position declined offer claimed positive attitude president johnson south decision prefer live poor forgotten endowed honor foreign country declined offers command armies romania egypt lifelong democrat worked end republican rule reconstruction outrage perceived reconstruction principal source remaining united_states foreign armies lasted active association conservative new_orleans businessmen spoke favor civil rights voting recently freed slaves hoping form alliances african americans democrats vote state legislature employment following war october chief engineer general superintendent new_orleans jackson promoted president position retained ousted hostile takeover job overlapped president new_orleans street railway invented system cable powered street railway cars financial success company fired wished direct management company demonstrated cable car issued patent loss railway executive positions spent time briefly variety companies civil engineering pursuits personal wealth assured recruited supervisor confederate general presided lottery drawings numerous public appearances lending effort years generals served positions public opposed government sponsored gambling lottery closed legislature military writings include principles art war report commentary campaign uncredited author friend war states contributed article battle bull run november years davis published series bitter accusations counter accusations blaming confederate defeat served adjutant general louisiana state militia elected commissioner public works new_orleans wife died leaving influence hood memoirs published proceeds going children appointed governor virginia grand marshal festivities associated laying cornerstone statue richmond died refused honor heading funeral procession saying enemies pretend sorry gone died sleep new_orleans cause death heart disease probably surviving general confederacy served chief interred vault historic legacy western louisiana named camp base national_guard camp near central louisiana unincorporated community alabama named equestrian monument depicts intersection avenue enters city park new_orleans residence new_orleans called operated historic house museum camps named sons confederate veterans
P. G. T. Beauregard