West Feliciana sentinel. (St. Francisville, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-06-02
INTERESTING LETTER FROM GEN.
BEAUREGARD TO COL. BLANTON
DUNCAN.
louisville Commercial.[

'eiS:I W. t'oNS WIN al y S'nu'iuS thS
Russian Turkish war. 1t is ad
dressed by Gen Reauregard to Col.
Blapton Duncan.
In 1866 the Sovereign Prince of
Roumania rendered 10 Gen. Beau
regard, then in Paris, the command
Of his armies. He offered the ,ank
OF Field Marshals. with a liberia
outfit, and 100000 a year pay.
Gen. Beaurcsard was to be at lib
erty to select his own staff and
certain other cficers. and the army
was to be kept at 100000 men.
Col. Duncan would pbroahly have
been his chief of staff. General
Beaure gard. believing that it was
his duty to remain aud share the
fate of those whose tartune he had
-hared for four Years of war, and
lha, hc might be serviceablc to !:is
own friends aud fellow-Confed~
crates, declined The proposals. III
view of the position which, but for
his dec.ination, Gen. Beauregard
miGh hit new occupy as one of the
conspicuous figures of the greal
worlds drama, his letter will be Of
peculiar interest. AS armies
shape the dcstinies of countries, and
as monarchical armies are often
welded according to the will of a
popular commanding General, it is
d great loss to the Turks that
Gen. Beaurcga.d did not 60 to
Roamania, the action Of that coun~
try might have been shaped for
turkey instead of for Russia.
New ORLEANS, May 10, 1877.
My Dear ColoneL-l would in
deed have been in the midst Of it.
But l must say that my sympa-
thies. if any, are with tie Turks,
for they are the weaker party, and
defending their homes and fresides.
As to the pretext for the war on
the part of Russia-the protection
of the Christians in Turkey-it
reminds me of the complaint Of the
wolf drinking at the same spring
with the lamb.
As you remark, Turkey offers
magnificent lines Of defence the
Danupe and tie Balkan Mountains.
With 100000 or 100000 Con-
federate troops I wou.d guarantee
to hold them against any number
Of Russians. II I we're in COM
mand there I would forti!y those
lines well, and with ny iron-clad-
gun-boats | would prevent the
construction of any bridges across
The Danube. | would send Gea.
Forrest, with $4,000 or 10000
cavalry, to destroy all the depots
OF supplies, railroads and bridges
from the Danube to Middle Russia
thence to some part of the Black
-ea, where | wonId transport his
command to some other favorable
point, say ia the rear OF the Rus
sian forces operating in Asia,
south Of the Black Sea. Forrest
would be provided with camel>
or the purpose OF transporting his
light field artillery, baggage and
ignt pontoon trains. lie would
have also a full supply Of carrier
pigeons, to keep me posted as to
his m 'vements. My fleet in the
Back Sea would keep it free OF
the enemy's ships. l would drstroy
their supplies at Odessa and other
ports on the Back Sea. In other
words, | would bring starvation to
ny assistance. How long do you
'hink Russia could stand such
defensive war2 Moreover, l am
confident that the other powers OF
Europc viii! never allow Russia 10
get any nearer to Coustautinople
than. the Balkan Mountains, if eve
she gets there. VoiJa mon plan de
camPn9ne.
But am man Of peace, now
that iOnisian1 Is free. T remain