Shouldn't Those Who Insist on "P. G. T. Beauregard" Insist on "Hiram Ulysses Grant"?

G. T. "Gus" Beauregard (National Archives)

General Beauregard reportedly grew up as Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard.  As a young man at West Point, he altered that to Gustave Toutant Beauregard.  For the rest of his life, he signed himself “G. T. Beauregard.”  He appears as G. T. Beauregard in the Official Records.  He authored his many publications as G. T. Beauregard.  His friends called him “Gus.”

General Grant reportedly grew up as Hiram Ulysses Grant.  His political sponsor mistakenly signed Grant in at West Point as Ulysses Simpson Grant.  For the rest of his life, he signed himself “U. S. Grant.”  He appears as U. S. Grant in the Official Records.  He authored his publications as U. S. Grant.  His friends called him “Sam.” 

U. S. "Sam" Grant (Library of Congress)

Hiram disappeared as completely in Grant’s case as did Pierre in Beauregard’s case.  Why should Beauregard be treated any differently than Grant.  Both were great generals.  Each defeated the other once.  Grant defeated Beauregard at Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862).  Beauregard defeated Grant at Petersburg (June 15-18, 1864).

Those who tolerate “U. S. Grant” should tolerate “G. T. Beauregard” as well.

Give "Gus" his due!

Hampton Newsome, Pathfinder

A good time was had by all at the Chicago Civil War Round Table last night as Hampton Newsome gave a thorough and witty overview of his award-winning book, Gettysburg's Southern Front: Opportunity and Failure at Richmond (University Press of Kansas, 2022). 

Hampton has also authored the award-winning Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October 1864 (The Kent State University Press, 2013) and the award-winning The Fight for the Old North State: The Civil War in North Carolina, January-May 1864 (University Press of Kansas, 2020).

Hampton also co-edited Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard & His Fellow Veterans (University of Virginia Press, 2013), one of the most important books on the siege of Richmond-Petersburg in the last hundred years.

Hampton is a pathfinder. He goes where no author of a booklength study has gone before: besieged Richmond and Petersburg in October 1864 (Richmond Must Fall), coastal North Carolina in January-May 1864 (The Fight for the Old North State), and now the York-James Peninsula in June-July 1864 (Gettysburg's Southern Front).

Read and enjoy! Get off the beaten track! Much of the Civil War remains unknown. Authors such as Hampton Newsome bringing these matters to light.

He is one of our most thoughtful, adventurous authors. I greatly admire his comprehensive, judicious work.

Dust Jacket Stories: "The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864"

The Siege of Petersburg:  The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864 (Savas Beatie, 2015) was the revised edition of my first book, The Petersburg Campaign:  The Destruction of the Weldon Railroad, Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern and Reams Station, August 14-25, 1864 (H. E. Howard, 1991). 

The Howard book was part of The Virginia Civil War Battles and Leaders Series. It had the generic dust jacket of the series, the book's title and the shield of the state of Virginia, both in gold on a white background.

Ted Savas, the publisher of the Savas Beatie book, deserves credit for the dust jacket on that edition. The image on the cover of the Savas Beatie book comes from a Keith Rocco painting, which depicted the charge of the 39th Illinois Veteran Volunteers ("Yates Phalanx") against Confederate fortifications near Fussell's Mill, around 10 miles southeast of Richmond, Virginia. The painting focused on Pvt. Henry Hardenbergh, the color bearer of the 39th. Wounded in the charge, which broke through the Confederate lines. he picked himself up and earned a Medal of Honor by capturing the colors of an Alabama regiment.

The book covered the battle of Fussell's Mill, but that is not what got the painting on the cover of the revised edition. What got the painting on the dust jacket was that Hardenbergh and part of his company (G, The Preacher's Company) had enlisted in the 39th in Tinley Park, Illinois, where I have my principal law office. 

There was also a significant coincidence. As the revised edition proceeded toward publication. Keith Rocco produced a painting of the 39th's charge for the Village of Tinley Park. As I recall, publisher Ted Savas encouraged me to approach Keith about obtaining the rights to the picture for the dust jacket of the revised edition. At the presentation of the painting to the village, a deal was struck and the rest is history.

My next book, Lee Besieged:  Grant's Second Petersburg Offensive, June 18-July 1, 1864, is in production at Savas Beatie and is due at the printer March 15, 2025.