New Orleans, Septr 7 1865
Dear General,
Your circular of the 31st. July reached me only a few days since. I regret to hear that you also have lost your papers. Johnston is in the same condition, I believe, for a part of his own & a large portion of mine were taken in Ga. Near Atlanta with my baggage, in direct violation of the terms of agreement between. Genl Sherman & Johnston & I have written to these two officers to Mr. Stanton & to Prest. Johnson on the subject, but all of no avail thus far. I fear I shall never recover baggage or papers, the latter had been collected with great care for the purpose of writing the history of the defence of Charleston, which cannot now be done, among those papers were those of the fall of Sumter in 1861, & of the campaign in Western Tenn. in 1862. It is painful to think, that we shall not be able to write the history of our struggle for Independence, & then commemorate the heroic deeds of our gallant soldiers a generous Enemy would aid us to comply with so sacred a duty!
I will endeavor to send you, as soon as possible, copies of the papers you call for, but my papers being still very much scattered, I am unable to state when I will be able to do so can they be trusted to the mail?
I see in the public papers that you intend leaving the country; is it so? I thought you had applied for pardon. I intend to have done the latter, as soon as I had been informed of you & Johnson having done so, but the seizure of my private baggage & papers has left me undecided in my future course. It is hard to ask pardon of an adversary you despise!
Wishing you health & prosperity. I remain Yours truly
G. T. Beauregard
Genl. R. E. Lee
Centerville, Va.
Source: Robert E. Lee Headquarters Papers, Folder 29, Mss3 L 515a, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2017 February 13
