LONGSTREET, JAMES (1821-1904) Confederate Lieutenant General – South Carolina

War-Date Autograph Letter Signed – to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard

Autograph Letter Signed, on a 5” x 8” folded lettersheet, with exceptional early-war content, to General P.G.T. Beauregard, commander of the Confederate Army at Manassas, Virginia.  As newly commissioned major general, Longstreet informs and seeks Beauregard’s direction in the placement of “blackened logs,” commonly referred to as “Quaker Guns” at the time, designed to deceive the Union Army into believing that they faced the heavy artillery of a well-equipped foe on the banks of the Potomac.                                                                                                             

“Taylors, Dec[ember] 6^th 1861.  My Dear General, But two of the Redoubts have been set apart for the batteries of my Division.  I have ordered sheds over the embrasures of these and blackened logs put in there; no others.  If you desire me to have others fixed please advise me.  Very Sincerely Yours, J. Longstreet.  [to] Gen[eral] G.T. Beauregard.”

Beauregard makes initialed notation, in pencil, at the bottom edge:

“Ans[wer].  Arrange all to be garrisoned by the 2^nd Division.  G.T.B.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________