Description:

Confederacy
Smithfield, NC, March 16, 1865
General Order No. 2, Making Genl. Beauregard Second-in-Command of Army of TN
Document

A clerical copy of General Order No. 2, regarding the promotion of General Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard. 1p, measuring 6.5" x 9.5", Smithfield, North Carolina, dated March 16, 1865. Addressed to Brigadier General W. W. Allen, Commander of Calvary, the document states that General Beauregard is to be second in command of General Joseph Johnston's newly combined Confederate Army of Tennessee. Signed clerically by General Johnston, as well as Archer Anderson A.A.G., Major Herbert Brainerd McClellan A.A.G., and Major Marcellus G Hudson A.A.G. With flattened mail folds. Some separations, small holes, loss, and chipping at the edges. Minor soiling and stains. Very good overall.

This general order is dated the same date as The Battle of Averasborough or the Battle of Averasboro, fought on March 16, 1865, in Harnett and Cumberland Co., North Carolina. The battle saw Union Maj. General Sherman against Confederate Lt. General William J. Hardee and was a prelude to the decisive Battle of Bentonville, which began three days later.

At this stage of the war, P.G.T. Beauregard had been attempting to concentrate his small forces before Sherman could reach Columbia, South Carolina, the state capital. His urgent dispatches to Richmond were treated with disbelief - neither Jefferson Davis nor Robert E. Lee could believe that Sherman was advancing without a supply line as quickly as Beauregard was observing him do. Concerned about what he considered Beauregard's "feeble health," Lee recommended to Davis that he be replaced by Joseph E. Johnston. The change of command came on February 22, 1865, and Beauregard, although outwardly cooperative and courteous to Johnston, was bitterly disappointed at his replacement. For the remainder of the war, he was Johnston's subordinate, assigned to routine matters without combat responsibilities.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 6.5" x 9.5"
  • Medium: Document

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