PIECES JUSTIFICATIVES

History of the War for the Union, Civil, Military and Naval, by Evert A. Duckinck.—Extraits.— Early in March, the State of South Carolina having resigned its boasted military prerogative into the supreme hand of the Confederate Government at Montgommery, a new aclor appcared upon the scene in the person of a military officer, pars belli haud temnenda,sent byPresident Jefferson Davis to take the command of the forces at Charleston. This was general Peter Gustavus Toutant Beauregard, late a Mujor in ihe U. S$. service. A native of the State of Louisiana of Canadian descent, he had entered the Military Academy at Westpoint at an early age,and after a career of distinguished eredit, graduated in 1838, the second of a class of 45, with the appointment of second lieutenant in the first regiment of artillery. He was then immediately transferréd to the coïps of Ergineers, in which he was promoted the following year to be first lieutenant. He served with great distinction in that capacity in the army of general Scott during the Mexican war, from Vera Cruz 10 the Capital, being brevetted captain for his gallant conduct at Contreras and Churubusco, and Major for like honorable service at Chapultepec. General Scott handsomely acknowledged his merits in the Official Reports making particular mention of his share in the briliant achievements at entering the City of Mexico, where he was wounded at the assault of Belem Gate Afterthe war, Major Beauregard was employed by the Government in the construction of the fortifiestions at the Mississipi On the eve of the rebellion he was appointed in the Buchanan’s administration to the important duty of Superintendant of the Military Academy at West-Point.

History of the Great Rebellion by Thomas Kettel, Extrait. —Lettre d’un Officier.—I ha ve had the pleasure of a good louk at Beauregard at his headquarters. They were at tea ; he was sitting with his cap on, and his aids about him. Beauregard is a small, well-knit figure of a man, with à sanguine-bilious face, a thoughful eye, that seems looking above the horizon of ather men’s mental operations, and withal impresses you withthe confidence of one perfectly self reliant and self poised. Heis plain and simple in manner, prompt in action and commands the entire respect of all about him. The camp has assumed a much more military and systematical aspect since his arrival. His military character and energy have already stamped themselves upon the heretofore singular mass of men that were assembled here.

The First Year of tre War by W. Pollard, Richmond. Extrait.—Beauregard is forty years of age. He ‘is small, brown, thin, extremely vigorous, aithough bis features wear a dead expression, and his hair has whitened premaiurely. Face, phisiognomy, tongue, accent, everything about him is French. He is quick a little abrupt, but well educated and distinguised in his manners. He does not care to express the manfestation of an ardent personality which knows its worth. Heis extremely impassionned in ‘he defence ofthe cause which he serves. The South found in bim a man of an uncommon ardor, a ceaseless activity and an indomitable power of will.

War for the Union.—Autre extrait.—This place stil continues the head quarters of the army of the . Potomac. There are many.indications of an extended, forward movement, the better to invite the enemy to: an engagement, but the work of fortification still con:

tinues. By nature the position is one of the strongest that could have been found in tne whole States. About half way between "the Eastern Spur ofthe Blue Ridge and the Potoinac below Alexandria, it commands the whole country between so perfectiy 1hat there is scarcely & possibility of its being turned, ‘’fhe right wingstretches off towards the head waters of the Occoquan through | a wooded country which is easely made impassable by the falling of trees. The left is a rolling table land easily comraanded from the successive elevations till you reach a country so rough and so rugged, that it is a defence for itself, The key tothe whole position in fact, is precisely the point which general Bvauregard chose

for bis centre, and which he has fortifed so strongly that, in the opinion of military men, 5000 inen could there hold 20,000 at bay. The position, in fact is fortified in part by nature herself, It is a succession of hills nearly equidistant from each other, in front of which isa ravine so deep and so thickly wooded, that it is passable only at two points, and there through gorges which fifty men can defend against a whole army. Of the fortifications superadded here by general Beauregard to those of nature, it is of course, not proper to me to speak, The general reader, in fact will have a suffciently precise ide, ofthem by conceiving a line of forts some 1wo miles in extent, zig-zag in form, with angles, salients, bastions, casemates, and every thifig that properly belongs to works of this kind. The strength and advantages of this position at Manassas are very much increased by the fact that, fourteèn miles further on, is a position of similar formation, while the country between, is admirably adapted tothe subsistance and intrenchement of troops in numbers as large as they can be casily manœuvred in the real battle-field. Water is good and abundant ; forage such as is every where found in the rich farming districts of Virgina, and the communication with all parts of the country, casy. As might be expected from the ski

with which he has chosen his position, and 1he system with which he encamps and moves his men, General Beauregard is very popular here. T-doubt if Napoléon himself had more the uudivided confidence of his army. By nature, as also from a wise policy, he is very reticent. Not an individual here knows his plans, or a single move of a regiment belore it is made.

Lettres sur les Etats-Unis,par le Lieutenant Colonel Ferri Pisani, Aide-de-Car:2 du Priace Napoléon, Paris 1862.-—Le Prince à Man=x<as,—Un officier supérieur le Colonel Stuart, reçut le l’; ince sans étonnement, sans embarras, avec une courtois! ; digne et cordiale. Il nous pria d’accepter à déjeuner, c: que nous ffines sans hésiter, pour deux bonnes raisons ; la première, c’est que nous mourions de faim ; la seconde, c’est que nous compiîmes que l’invitation du Colonel était un moyen délicat de nous retenir à Fairfax Jusque à ce qu’il eut demandé les ordres du général en chef. En effet, à peine étions nous à table, qu’on lui apporta une dépéche télégraphique de Manassas. Le Général Beauregard preserivait au Colonel Stuart d'accueillir le prince avec empressement et de lui fournir tons les moyens de se rendre à Manassas.

À quelque distance de Manassas le Prince fut reçu par les états-majors des généraux Johnston et Beauregard. Sinous n’étions pas chez des Républicains, je dirais que ces états-majors sont composés de la fleur des gentilshommes du Sud. Plusieurs sont possesseurs de fortunes énormes. Désintéressés dans cette guerre civile, étrangers aux haïnes, aux passions aux intérêts qui l’ont allumée, nous ne pouvions qu'être touchés à la vue de quelques-uns d: ces hornmes à la moustache blanche, aux maintien aristocratique et militaire, aux . maniéres distinguées qui avait quitté leurs foyers, leurs familles, de grandes existances, pour verir servir comine :aide- de-camps d’un jeune général, naguères inconnu, dans lapins rude des guerres, |

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Beauregard et Johnston.—Tels sont les deux hom:mes aui commandent, car en vérité, il est assez difficile de dire lequel des deux est en possession du véritable commandement en chef. Tous les deux ont le même grade et il parait que, soit par droit d’ancienneté, soit par suite d’une commission spéciale, Johnston est au camp de Manassas, le supérieur de Beauregard ; et pourtant malgré la présence de Johnston à la bataille de Bulls Run, il est admis partout le monde, — par Beauregard d’abord, par Johnston ensuite, que c’est Beauregard qui a conduit l'affaire et qui a tout l’hon neur de la victoire.

On rn’a expliqué que Johnston, arrivé la veille seulement à Manassas avec une partie de ses troupes, n’a pris le commandant supérieur que le lendemain du combat, et n’a agi le Jour même que comme soutien de son collégue. Mais ce sou!-là des nuances qu’un militaire seul peut saisir, et encore à force de tourner et retourner ses questions pour obtenir une réponse claire, car ces attributions hiérarchiques et la constitution du commandement forment la partie la plus obscure de lorgauisation militaire du Sud. Pour l'étranger, que ces questions de métier n’intéressent pas, qui se contente d’écouter ce que l’on veut bien lui dire, Beauregard est le général-en-chef du Sud. C’est lui qui a gagné la bataille de Bulls Run, et c’est lui qui, dans l’opinion de son parri, doit gagner la prochaine bataille qu’on livrera.

War pictures from the South (par le Colonel Estvan Anglais).—Extract.—Scarcely was Beauregard informed of the unexpected success of his arms on every point, when he wended his way 10 the spot where Pre. sident Jefferson Davis had posted himself with his staff

‘President, said he, the battle of Manassas has been won by the indomitabie courage of the ranfedet troops.; the victory is ours.

The Presid nt with emotion, embraced the hero of Manassas ; the Confederacy was safe now for. some time to come, and with it the posilion of its President.

War for the Union.—Extrait.—As soon as we had thus rallied and disposed our forces, I urged General Johnston, to leave ihe immediate conduct of the field to me while he, repairing to Portico, should urge reinforcements forward, At first he was unwilling ; but reminded that one of us must do so, and that properly it was his place, he reluctantly complied ; fortunately, becauge fr:m that position, by his energy and sagacity, his keen perception and anticipation of my needs, he so directed the reserves as to ensure the success of the day.—Beauregard.

Lettre de Pisani.—A sept heures, on est parti, pour le champ de bataille. Le Piince était, avec Île général Beauregard, dans un petit char à bancs américain ; je suivais dans un autre avec le général Johnston. Le baron Mercier gallopait à cheval au milieu des états:majors des généraux et une brillante escorte de plus de cents officiers.

Après uce course rapide de trois quart d’heures à travers champs, nous sommes parvenus sur. le platran découvert qui domine le Bulls Run au centre du théâtre de l’action, sur un terrain tout parsemé de ca davres, de chevaux tués et de tombes toutes fraiches. C’est-là, après que le Prince fût monté à cheval, que le général Beauregard, embrassant du re-.

gard tout le champ de bataille, lui a raconté avec autant de lucidité que d’éloquence toutes lès péripéties de ce drame militaire. Trois jours auparavant, le général McDowel, sous la tente, nous avait fait le récit des mêmes évènements, saisis sous un point de vue Atämétralement opposé: C’est une bonne fortune bien rare pour les voyageurs que dé pouvoir entendre:racon -

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