BEAUREGARD, PETER GUSTAVE TOUSSAINT, a gen. of the army of the confed erate states of America during the war of secession, was burn of a family of Canadian French descent, on his father's plantation, near New Orleans, La., about 1817. He graduated at the military college of West Point in 1838; was appointed to the artillery, and transferred to the engineers; won his brevet of capt. at the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, in Mexico, and of major at Chepultapec, where he was twice wounded. After the Mexican war, he was engaged upon the fortifications on the coast of the gulf of Mexico, and was, for a few days in Feb., 1861, superintendent of the military academy at West Point. At the secession of Louisiana, he resigned, Feb. 20, 1861, and was appointed by the confederate government to the command at Charleston, S. C., where, April 11, he commenced the war by the bombardment of Fort Sumter (q.v.). July 21, he won the battle of Bull Run. 3farch 5, 1862, he took command of the army of the
Mississippi, under gen. A. S. Johnston, and on April 6. fought the battle of Shiloh—on the first day a victory, and on the second, when the federals had been reinforced, it par tial defeat to the confederates, with the loss of gen. Johnston. After holding gen. Halleck in ehecl: for two months, he was obliged, by his failing health, to retire for it time from active service; but in 1863 defended Charleston; and in 1864. commanding at Petersburg. aided gen. Lee in the long and gallant defense of Richmond, the capture of which closed the war. Ile huts since been president of the New Orleans and Mississippi railway; and in 1866, in the interests of the company, he visited New York, London, and Paris, being everywhere received with the highest distinction. Ile has also been in the service of the khedive of Egypt.