The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 59, July 1955 - April, 1956 Page: 147
587 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Book Reviews
147
complex rooted in environment, instincts, and training, decided
early in life to follow the profession of arms. His pre-Civil War
career was like that of so many other junior officers in the Regular
Army: monotonous tours of duty spent in strengthening the
nation's defenses, broken only by that short period of glory with
Scott in Mexico. Early in 1861, Beauregard was appointed Super-
intendent of West Point, a position which he held for only a few
days before being removed.
When secession came, Beauregard followed the course of his
native state, Louisiana. He eventually became one of the eight
full generals of the Confederacy and participated in every impor-
tant phase of the war. Though he proved to be a capable combat
commander, Beauregard possessed serious deficiencies as a gen-
eral officer. His penchant for questioning the orders of his su-
periors bordered dangerously near to insubordination, and though
he frequently displayed sound strategic sense, his specific plans
were almost always unworkable because of their incredible com-
plexity, detail, and lack of realism.
Though it was his role in the Civil War which assured Beaure-
gard historical significance, his post-war career was by far the
most interesting phase of his life. In the days following Appomat-
tox, he toyed for awhile with the idea of securing a foreign com-
mand, and even went so far as to send out feelers to Egypt,
France, and several South American countries. After finally decid-
ing to remain in Louisiana, he became a leader in the unique
and abortive Unification Movement in that state, and unlike
most of his fellow officers, he refused to live out the remainder of
his days either in self-denying austerity or in glorification of the
virtues of the Old South. With almost unbecoming facility, he
adopted the industrial psychology of the New South and earned
a comfortable fortune rehabilitating run-down railroads, aiding a
Yankee engineer to build jetties at the mouth of the Mississippi
River, and acting as "front man" for the Louisiana Lottery,
described by the author as "the largest gambling organization
to exist in the United States before the twentieth century." In
spite of the demands of these activities, he somehow found time
to engage in lengthy verbal vendettas with Joseph E. Johnston,
Jefferson Davis, and William Preston Johnston, all of whose
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 59, July 1955 - April, 1956, periodical, 1956; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101162/m1/165/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.