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Beauregard Pierre

Pierre G. T. Beauregard 1855 ALS Re: Fort St. Philip, 1 of New Orleans's Defensive Forts and Later Setting of Civil War Battle

 

Small archive of 3 documents (complete with transmittal envelopes) relating to the resignation of 2nd Lieutenant Thomas H. Ruger from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 1855. Featuring a 2pp ALS by his commanding officer P.G.T. Beauregard, then serving as Superintendent of the Mississippi and Lake Defenses in Louisiana. In addition to Beauregard's letter and handwritten envelope, the lot includes a 4pp ALS by Thomas H. Ruger explaining his decision to resign, and a 1p ADS with original transmittal envelope wrapper signed by Adjutant General Samuel Cooper.

 

The archive provides us with tantalizing glimpses of major Civil War participants and geographical locations before they were famous! Less than 6 years later, in 1861, P.G.T. Beauregard and his onetime assistant Thomas H. Ruger would be on different sides of the War Between the States. Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson, the Mississippi River defensive fortifications protecting the city of New Orleans, would be seized by Union forces in April 1862, leading to the fall of New Orleans.

 

Letter correspondents significantly reference "clouds on the horizon." This metaphor is almost certainly an allusion to impending military conflict, yet ultimately, the source of danger remains frustratingly unclear. Do Beauregard and Ruger mean an imminent war between the states? With a foreign country? With Indians? It is tempting to jump to the conclusion that they foresaw the Civil War, but that is mostly appealing because of hindsight.

 

1. 2pp ALS inscribed overall and signed by future Confederate General Pierre G. T. Beauregard (1818-1893) as "G. T. Beauregard" at top of page 2. Written on March 29, 1855 from the Engineer Office in New Orleans, Louisiana. Pale blue and blue-lined bifold stationery paper with "Moinier" embossed mark. In near fine condition, with expected wear including light paper folds and toning. Each page measures 7.75" x 10". With original mustard-colored transmittal envelope inscribed in Beauregard's hand, letter-opened at top.

 

Paragraph breaks have been inserted to improve legibility; all spelling and punctuation is original.

 

"Engineer Office

New Orleans March 29th 1855

 

Dear Sir,

 

I enclose you herewith the acceptance of your resignation by the Engr & War Depts to take effect…But as it is probable that Mr. Warrick's health will not permit him to return to the Fort for one or two weeks yet - & Mr. Reid being still too new to take sole charge of the operation going on there - I sincerely hope you will be able to delay your departure from there a while longer or otherwise I would be placed in quite an unenviable position - your time as a matter of course will be remunerated to you as my assistant at the rate of say $5 pr. day or $150 pr. month -

 

The General recommends very active operation on all the Forts on account of the clouds which are beginning to darken our horizon - Hence I think those relieving anchor + b.h. walks of the waterfronts or faces ought to be finished at once - filling or covering them with earth as you raise the b.h. walk. I refer at present to the earth which has been removed from there. 

 

The top of their scarp walls ought also to be finished like those of the land fronts... "

 

West Point graduate and Army Corps Engineer P.G.T. Beauregard was then 7 years into his 12-year term as Superintendent of the Mississippi and Lake Defenses in Louisiana. One of his tasks was repairing, improving, and constructing forts along the Gulf Coast. Beauregard also supervised shoring up New Orleans's sinking buildings, and improved navigational channels leading to the city. New Orleans's thriving domestic and international economy was based on slave-trading, shipping, and cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane cultivation. Beauregard and his engineers controlled and reversed damage caused by tropical storms, river flooding, and erosion, all of which regularly threatened access to the South's most important port.

 

2. 4pp ALS inscribed overall and signed by future Union brevetted brigadier general Thomas H. Ruger (1833-1907) as "T. H. Ruger" at top of page 1. Written on April 1, 1855 at Fort St. Philip, Louisiana. On watermarked pale blue bifold stationery paper. In very good to near fine condition, with expected paper folds and a few chipped edges. A repaired closed tear on the last page. Each page measures 7.75" x 9.875".

 

Ruger wrote in part:

 

"Now that I have resigned I can go when I please, but Maj. Beauregard is very urgent for me to remain here a short time as his assistant until the overseer who is sick in town can come down. He says that in consequence of the cloudy appearance of the horizon the Dept. wish to hurry on the forts and it will place him in a very unenviable position if I leave just yet. His conduct towards me has been very gentlemanly and friendly besides. I resigned much sooner than I had anticipated in consequence of rapid development of events bearing on the question which leaves me rather short of funds…

 

As I have some time yet to the arrival of the boat I may as well state some of the leading reasons which induced me to resign thus soon. First if we are to have peace for some years yet. In that case I would be in the Engineers receiving my pay only and no chance for distinction. From my own observation and what I have learned from those well informed on the subject, graduates of the Academy who have turned their attention to Civil Engineering have almost invariably succeeded…Second out of the Army I would have to consult only myself as to the place of my abode and not be obliged to stay in places that I do not like. Third if one is to stay in the Army the Engineers is not the branch of service in which one can advance much promotion being slow, and the responsibility and study required entirely too great for the pay and ray of promotion…All things considered I think it best to resign if we are to have peace.

 

In case of war soon, of which there is every day more prospect and certainty I would be in a corps [Engineers] in which the dangers of service are entirely disproportional to the chance of distinction and promotion... War (?) soon open regiments would be raised, as if we have war it will be one of considerable magnitude in fact from the present state of our affairs with other nations it would be one which would be likely to tax our powers to considerable extent, such being the case troops would be enlisted for a longer period than during the last war, probably for the war, and officers would be commissioned as a matter of course. Persons graduating from the Academy would find no trouble in getting commissions, and I should feel almost certain of getting a much higher one than I would have by staying in the service..."

 

Ruger's resignation also meant an end to the "mosquitoes, flies, and various other pleasant inhabitants" that plagued coastal Louisiana during the summer rainy season.

 

At the close, written on page 1 above and around the beginning, Ruger warns that his brother Edward “would do well not to be too fast for going back surveying, as an expedition of some 2,000 troops is about to start against the Sioux and a surveying party would be a very tempting bait and would stand no chance against numbers."

 

3. 1p ADS bearing the secretarial signature of Adjutant General Samuel Cooper (1798-1876), but accompanied by an original transmittal envelope wrapper free franked in Cooper's hand as "S Cooper." Written on March 22, 1855 from Washington, D.C. On cream bifold paper measuring 8" x 9.75". In near fine condition. The "Special Business" wrapper is postmarked from Washington. Special Orders No. 40 informed Thomas Ruger that his resignation "has been accepted by the President...to take effect April 1, 1855."

 

Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard graduated from West Point 16 years before his future assistant, Thomas H. Ruger, and, like him, would serve as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. During the Civil War, Beauregard defended Charleston, South Carolina and Petersburg, Virginia, and also brilliantly commanded Confederates forces in the Western Theater. He was awarded the rank of brigadier general in March 1861.

 

Thomas H. Ruger reenlisted in the volunteer army at the outbreak of the Civil War and eventually achieved the rank of brigadier general. He saw action at the Battle of Antietam and led troops at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He mustered out of the volunteer army after the war and received a colonel's commission in the regular army. He was brevetted a brigadier general for his actions at Gettysburg and served as the Provisional Governor of Georgia from January 13 through July 4, 1868, and the District of Alabama until February 1, 1869.

 

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