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Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893 to Earl Van Dorn

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00296 Author/Creator: Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893 Place Written: Jackson, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 21, 1862 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 24.6 cm, Width: 19.2 cm Order a Copy

Beauregard, Confederate Commander of the Military District of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, writes to Van Dorn, Confederate Commander of the District of the Mississippi, Department #2. He states that "the fate of Missouri necessarily depends on the successful defense of Columbus & of Island no. 10, hence we must, if possible, combine our Operations not only to defend those positions, but also to take the offensive as soon as practicable to recover some of our lost ground ... At all events, we must do something or die in the attempt ... " He informs Dorn that he requested 5,000 men from Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He expects the support of twelve gunboats from New Orleans. The letter is labeled confidential.

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893
Van Dorn, Earl, 1820-1863

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