The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-06-28
The Rebel General Joe Johnston after
the War.
Selma (Ala.,) correspondence of the Cincin-
natl Commercial

Selma (Ala.,) correspondence of the Cincin-
natl Commercial.
General Johnston is President of the Ten
nessee and Alabama railroad, which runs
from here to Blue Mountain at present,
distance Of $50 miles met him yester-
day at the Office of lawyer on whom had
called with letter of introduction [
looked at him a good while, to discover in
his manner or appearance any indications
of the military genius he undoubtedly pos
sesses; but [ had to give it up, and after
the General had taken his departure, l con-
fessed to my friend that if l hadn't known
who he was, | should have put him down
as quiet, easy-going old merchant, more
familiar with the price of cotton and dry
goods than with the trade of armies, the
shock of battles, and the planning of great
campaigns He is a man apparently about
sixty years of age, less than five feet ten
inches in height, and proportionately slen-
der in his build and make up. His head is
bald on the top and thiply covered with
gray hair on the sides. His forehead is
large and high, projecting over pair of
eyes that thought singularly dull and ex.
pressionless perhaps because | expected
them to be so much the reverse. The low
er part of bis face is covered with short
gray beard and whiskers, that serve to con-
ceal some deep burrows in his cheeks His
countenance is full of kindness and good
nature but | doubt if the best of physiog-
nomists would detect in it anything to war
rant the belief that he stood in the pres
enee of the great Fabius of the South-un-
questionably the best defensive strategist
the contederacy ever had, and one whose
advice. if followed, would have prolonged
the war two years longer than the spring OF
lS65--the only Southern General who
could not be forced to give battle except
upon ground of his own choosing. He was
dressed in a plain business suit, and wore a
black SLOUGH hat He came to see the law.
yer on business connected with his road
and after moments conversation holeft,
stating his intention to go to Washington
this evening. He has little to say on poll
tics, even to his most intimate friends. He
doub BITS if the people either north or south
are in condition Of mind at present % fiji
them for the calm discussion of politica
subjects, and thinks it would be much bet
ter to keep the Southern States under mill
tary government for some years to come
than to attempt to organize civil govern
ments in them now for, he says, consti
tuition adopted in the present excited state
OF the public mind, cannot be the best un
der which to live. 1t is said that he is dc
termined to write history of the late war
or rather of his own campaigns in it. TIL,
absurdities and Misrepresentation of Pol
lard's Lost Cause" and other pretended
Southern histories, prompt him to do So
Gen. Hardee is President of the road run
ming from here to Meridian. They say tina
neither of these distinguished confederate
chieftains make the best of railroad Presi
dents, but the Southern people felt it thei
duty to take care of them,'' and got thes
year for his services. Hardee gets abou
the same, believe. At recent meetin,
of the stockholders of the Tennessee AM
Alabama road. an attempt was made to dis
place Joe Johnston, and give the presiden
cy to man more experienced in railroa
matters, but it was not successful. 1t wa
then attempted to reduce his salary to SO,
i 600 INIT that fon failed