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General Beauregard Wants to Know if General Ripley

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Autograph Letter Signed, "P.C. Warwick 1st Lt. & ADC" 2-1/2p. quarto, on "Head Quarters, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida" lettersheet, Charleston, South Carolina, September 27, 1864, addressed to General Beauregard, and reads in part: "...In obedience to your letter...inquiring whether I know from my own personal knowledge, ‘that Brig: Genl. Ripley has been intoxicated or allowed himself to be excited or influenced by liquor so as at any time to interfere with the proper discharge of his duties.’ I have the honor to reply. On or about the second day of July 1864, when the enemy were effecting a landing on the South end of James Island, being directed by the Major General Commanding to notify Brig. General Ripley of the fact & to give the necessary orders to transfer a portion of the troops under Gen. Ripley’s command to James Island & to call out the local troops in the city. I went to the Head Quarters of Genl. R, he was not there, Capt. Feilden A.A. Genl. sent twice to his residence. I sent once by courier, he could not be found. Later in the morning (I think it was between the hours of 7 and 8 AM so far as I can remember) I met him just as he arrived in his Office, there was no one present but ourselves, from his looks, I was satisfied he had been up all night & from his manner and general appearance I judged that he had been freely indulging in the use of intoxicating liquors & considered him in no condition properly to discharge his duties as commander...He told me to tell Genl. Jones that he intended to go over to Sullivans Island, where he would remain. Capt. Feilden A.A. Genl and Lieut. James L. Fraser A.D.C. met me in the early morning making the same remarks in regard to Brig. Genl. Ripley, without my having referred to his condition...There is one other occasion to which I would respectfully refer. On the 17th day of September 1864, late in the afternoon, I was at Department Head Quarters, when Brig. Genl. Ripley passed through and went up stairs, with Major Pringle Q.M. I overheard the conversation between him and Major Lay and his manner and appearance were such, that I was convinced in my own mind that Brig. Genl. Ripley was then under the influence of intoxicating liquor..." Fine.

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