THE DEFENSE OF DREWRY'S BLUFF. (1)
BY G. T. BEAUREGARD, GENERAL, C. S. A.

LOOKING FOR A FRIEND.

On the 23d of April, 1864, at Weldon, N. C., I assumed command of the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia. It included " Virginia south to the James and Appomattox, and all that portion of , North Carolina east of the mountains."(1).

The War Department was closely engaged at that time with certain operations against Plymouth and New Berne, from which great results were expected at Richmond, but about which the enemy was not much concerned, as the main object of his campaign could in no wise be affected or seriously disturbed by such a diversion. I did not consider this move judicious on the part of the Government, because, irrespective of other considerations it , occasioned an untimely division of some of the most available troops in my new command, rendering their immediate concentration at any threatened point very difficult, it not impossible. The destination of General Burnside's corps was not, as yet, well defined. The opinion was entertained by many that it would march upon Richmond via Petersburg. Others thought its aim was Weldon. On either hypothesis we should have been prepared to meet the assault in time, and, clearly, we were not.

(1) Taken by permission from the " North American Review" for March 1887 and condensed.

(2) General Beauregard was succeeded in command of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (April 19th, 1864) by Major-General Samuel Jones.-Editors.