CHAPTER XXII. Gen. Beauregard in command at Charleston.-Military importance of "the City of Secession."-Gen. Beauregard's appeal to the patriotism of the Carolinians.-Naval attack on Charleston, 1863-Gen. Beauregard's department stripped of troops.— Unavailing remonstrance to President Davis.-Gen. Gillmore's attempt on Charleston.-Its impotent conclusion.-Fame of Gen. Beauregard as an engineer.-He receives the thanks of Congress.-Returns to Virginia in 1864.-"Battle of the Falchion and the Buzzard."-Gen. Beauregard's plan of campaign before the battle of Drewry's Bluff.-Remarkable interview with President Davis.-Connection of Gen. Beauregard with Hood's campaign.-He advises the evacuation of Richmond-Merits of Gen. Beauregard's military career.-Description of his person and habits. In September, 1862, we find Gen. Beauregard taking command of the defences of Charleston, which were pronounced by his predecessor-Gen. Pemberton-no longer tenable. The place, however, had as yet been but slightly molested by the enemy; and the friends of Gen. Beauregard were rather disposed to resent the appointment to a position, apparently so unimportant, and in any event so little likely to be adorned with victory, of one who had already distinguished himself in as high places as the Confederate army could then afford. But in this respect, Gen. Beauregard was "fortune's favourite;" and in looking back upon his memorable defence of the "City of Secession," we must declare that no other position during the war could have presented like opportunities to display what was undoubtedly Gen. Beauregard's speciality—his engineering genius. He himself appears to have been well satisfied with the appointment to Charleston, and to have anticipated there the tremendous conflict of valour and skill which ensued. There was a mixed reason, indeed, for a powerful Federal demonstration on Charleston. It was the city most meriting, in the Federal eye, the condign punishment due to the nursery of treason and rebellion. Military forecast, too, had already observed in Charleston a point bound to grow into importance as the war progressed. The requirements to the vitality of the body politic of the Confederacy made necessary a constant communication between Virginia and the more Southern States of the cis-Mississippi, both for concert of action among the troops, and the furnishing of supplies to the Virginia army. Thus the danger that threatened the long line of railroad that traversed Tennessee parallel to the Federal line of occupation, and therefore vulnerable at all its points, made the defence of the other line through South Carolina, and which approached so near to Charleston, at Branchville, an object of the most vital interest. This line of railroad was the artery that furnished life to the troops fed from the granaries of south Georgia, and its ultimate destruction in Sherman's march did, as we may hereafter see, touch the vitals of the Confederacy. In view of the dangers impending on the sea-coast, and particularly in Charleston-which, in fact, inadequately supplied with troops, was open to assault in no less than five different directions -Gen. Beauregard issued the following proclamation: CAROLINA, GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, February 18, 1863. It has become my solemn duty to inform the authorities and citizens of Charleston and Savannah, that the movements of the enemy's fleet indicate an early land and naval attack on one or both cities, and to urge that persons unable to take an active part in the struggle shall retire. It is hoped, however, that the temporary separation of some of you from your homes will be made without alarm or undue haste, thus showing that the only feeling which animates you in this hour of supreme trial is the right of being able to participate in the defence of your homes, your altars, and the graves of your kindred. Carolinians and Georgians! the hour is at hand to prove your country's cause. Let all able-bodied men, from the sea-board to the mountains, rush to arms. Be not too exacting in the choice of weapons. Pikes and scythes will do for exterminating your enemies, spades and shovels for protecting your firesides. To arms, fellow-citizens! Come to share with us our danger, our brilliant success, our glorious death.* P. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Gen. commanding. *To this appeal there was but little substantial response in men and material And yet curiously enough in Charleston "the spirit of the women "-a phrase which by the way appears to have had but little real value in the war (sentiment to the contrary), and was too often used to denote a silly nervous transport that quickly The most serious naval demonstration of the enemy was made apon Charleston, after an engagement had occurred at Pocotaligo, in which Gen. Beauregard was successful; and, after the attack made by Capt. Ingraham on the blockading squadron, in which the Mercedita, a Federal steamer, was disabled. On the 7th of April, 1863, the long-expected trial between the enemy's ironclads and the forts of Charleston Harbour came on; and from a distance of from nine to twelve hundred yards the Ironsides and monitors opened fire on the front of Sumter, and delivered a shock as of ten thousand battering-rams, impelled by the arms of Titans. The fort stood firm, replying with the angry flashes of its guns; a complete triumph was obtained for the Confederates; and the next morning was seen a turret and smoke stack of the Keokuk, the only visible reminder of one of the most powerful vessels of the enemy's armada. An interval for other preparations elapsed, and the next attempt upon Charleston followed under Gen. Gillmore. We have already hinted at the desperate condition of the city when Gen. Beauregard took command. His engineering skill had to be taxed to the utmost; old batteries had to be altered and repaired; new sites had to be selected for other constructions. James and Sullivan's Islands were thoroughly protected; but Morris Island was imperfectly defended from want of labour and necessary materials. Other causes of alarm and embarrassment arose; for a disposition was shown at Richmond to diminish Gen. Beauregard's resources, and to strip his district of troops to reinforce Pemberton, at Vicksburg. In vain Gen. Beauregard protested against this disfavour to him and risk to the country. On the 16th May, he wrote to Richmond, complaining in desperate terms of the movement of so many of his troops to Mississippi; 5,000 on the 5th, and more than expired-was so high and extravagant that it burst all bounds of sex, and literally offered recruits from its own ranks. A short while before the proclamation referred to, the women of Charleston passed the following extraordinary resolution, which, prettily as it is written, we must own has something of a comical aspect now: "In the daughters of Carolina there are kindred spirits to the 'Maid of Saragossa,' If the time for us to act has come, we are ready. We ask for the best method of action-whether to be formed into companies and regiments, or to wait and fill the places of our beloved soldiers who fall! Save our country, our Southern sunny homes. from Yankee thraldom, men and fathers. Your daughters hush their timid fearings, and would die for their country's freedom." 5,000 on the 10th instant. He made an exhibit of the forces remaining in South Carolina and Georgia-about 4,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 6,000 artillery-some 15,000 in all. He said the enemy was still on the coast, in the rivers, and on the islands, and might easily cut his communications with Savannah; and that they had sufficient numbers to take Charleston, in all probability, without passing the forts. To all these representations President Davis was deaf; and Gen. Beauregard was left with an inadequate force, and in the most unequal circumstances, to make one of the most desperate defences of the war, to win a victory where there was least reason to expect it, and to achieve, despite the confinements of an envious Administration at Richmond, the most glorious success of his life. The first effort of the enemy was directed to getting possession of the islands, on which to plant batteries controlling the city and harbour, under whose protection the gunboats were to advance to the capture of the city. An unsuccessful effort was made to carry Fort Wagner by storm, after effecting a landing on Morris Island; the trial was renewed on the 18th August, 1863, and followed by a terrific night attack, which resulted in a loss of over 1,500 Federal troops. The fort was not evacuated until the 6th of September, having been held all this time under Beauregard's orders, while he hastened to complete other works, whose effect completely neutralized all benefits the Federals had expected to enjoy in the occupation of Morris Island. The retention of this island by Gen. Beauregard for the space of two months, and with a force of about 1,200 men against about twelve thousand, was one of the most heroic and critical incidents of the struggle; the delay enabling him to construct interiour works for the defence of Charleston. In the interval, on the 21st August, Gillmore had demanded the evacuation of Forts Wagner and Sumter, threatening the destruction of Charleston if the demand was not complied with, and the following night the bombardment of Charleston proper commmenced. Gen. Gillmore, having dispatched to the authorities at Washington that "Fort Sumter was a shapeless, harmless mass of ruins," but one idea prevailed that Charleston was already reduced. A summons to Fort Sumter, Maj. Stephen Elliot commanding, on the part of Admiral Dahlgren, not being acceded to, an attack under Commander Stevens, was directed against it at midnight of the 8th of September. It was completely frustrated; and the "mass of ruins" frowned defiantly in greater strength than in the days of the comeliest symmetry of this historic fort. It decided the safety of Charleston, and stood the faithful guardian of the city, and the defiant herald of Beauregard's engineering fame.* The defence of Charleston constitutes undoubtedly the happiest and most brilliant page in the life of Gen. Beauregard. It was his most successful service in the war, and gave him his greatest name in the world's estimation. Of this defence it has been said: "It developed and called forth such engineering skill, that to-day the world discusses the merits of the two who have distanced all others in engineering science-Beauregard and Todleben, of Russia—and hesitates to award to either the palm." The thanks of the Confederate Congress rendered to Gen. Beauregard for his services at Charleston were conveyed in resolutions of more than usual import. It was unanimously voted that he had accomplished an unparalleled and glorious work; and the following resolution assured him in uncommon terms of the appreciation of his countrymen : It is partly amusing now to look back upon the confidence with which the North had anticipated the fall of Charleston, or delighted itself with visions of tho hateful city being devoured by the "infernal fires" of Gillmore's new and wonderful ordnance. The event so surely hoped for was gaily commented on in the journals, and furnished a fund of caricature for the pictorials, which were already drawing on their imaginations for the final scenes of the rebellion. A gentleman who visited Gen. Beauregard during the siege of Charleston, says: "A caricature in a New York illustrated paper, wherein President Davis and Gen. Beauregard were depicted shoeless and in rags, contemplating a pair of boots, which the latter suggested had better be caten, excited considerable amusement when shown to him and a party, at an excelleut dinner one day." In another of the pictorials was a brutal and devilish device—a picture representing Gen. Beauregard watering his horse in hell. It was engraved after one of the numerous Federal reports of the death of the hero whom the North seemed to hate above all others in the Confederacy. To this fund of the enemy's amusement in the siege of Charleston, we shall only add the following: BEAUREGARD AND GILLMORE. At midnight, in his blackguard tent, |