P. G. T. Beauregard

P. G. T. Beauregard, born on May 28, 1818, was a prominent American military officer and Confederate general, best known for initiating the American Civil War at the Battle of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Although he is commonly referred to by his full name, he preferred to sign his correspondence as G. T. Beauregard, rarely using his first name in adulthood.

Beauregard's military education began at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he trained in military and civil engineering. He distinguished himself as an engineer officer during the Mexican–American War. In 1861, after a brief tenure as the superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, he resigned from the United States Army following Louisiana's secession and became the first brigadier general in the Confederate States Army.

At the onset of the Civil War, Beauregard commanded the defenses of Charleston, South Carolina, and played a crucial role in the Confederate victory at the First Battle of Manassas near Bull Run Creek just three months after Fort Sumter. He held significant commands in the Western Theater, including at the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth in 1862, and later returned to defend Charleston from Union attacks in 1863.

Despite his military prowess, Beauregard's influence on Confederate strategy diminished due to strained relationships with President Jefferson Davis and other senior officials. In April 1865, he, along with General Joseph E. Johnston, urged the Confederate leadership to end the war, leading to the surrender of their forces to Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman.

After the war, Beauregard returned to Louisiana, where he became an advocate for Black civil rights, including suffrage, and served as a railroad executive. His ventures in promoting the Louisiana Lottery contributed to his wealth, marking a significant transition from his military career to a life of public service and business.