The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-01-03
From the LOUISVILLE Courier Journal /
ALRERT SYDNEY JOHNSON.

II
weird hills of the most picturesque
part Of Kentucky, his father a pioneer
and himself hero Of the frontier-his
life presents series Of the strongest
personal vieissitudes between the regu.
lar service Of the United States and
the irregular service of the republic of
Texas, both in and out Of the army,
but ending at last with glorious death
at the head of victorious command
on the ever memorable field Of Shiloh.
The place which Albert Sydney
johnson will occupy in history must
necessarily be disproportioned to tai.
eRts which the greatest of his contem-
psraries and colleagues unite in declar.
ing to have been of the most COM
manding order. II ever a man had the
look of a great man, he had. He was
one to be marked ameng thousands,
and not more by his imposing and mar
tial carriage than by the benigAity Of
his presence, which was at once mag
Hificent and gracious. II was not that
of prince or field marshal It was
that of king, the element of pater-
nifty showing itself through all the mil
itary aspects. As inhexible as Jack.
aon but broader as patient as Lee, but
more far-seeing as highly trained as
his Virginia nAmesake, the impression
which he made upon those who came
in contact with him was ineffaceable
Every great soldier must be more or
less statesman. The greatest soldiers
have been great statesmen. Certainly
Gen. johnson displayed a. fuller concep-
ton of the southern question than
most men Of his time, and, as his cam.
paign from Bowling Green to Corinth,
terminating with the battle Of Shileh
and his death, Is pronounced by the
best critics to have foroclosed larger
possibilities than any other movement
of the war, the judgment of the ex-con-
federate president, exaggerated as it
seems to be, carries with il the concur
renee emphatic and very weighty testi
mony.
No one who shared IN the events, Of
which Gen. Johnston was the central
figure, doubts that, had his life been
spared, he would have annihilated
Grants army, would have pressed Buell.
rapidly back to the line Of Ohio, and
would have speedily occupied the whole
of Kentucky as the fruit Of his VIC
tory. OF this, decidedly the most bril-
liant feat of the war, the Cincinnati
Ga=stie, always intelligent, but never
liberal, in It's military critisisms, says !:
" JohnSton's reputation in the civil
war rests on his holding the line Of
Green river, with thin force at tho
time Fert DOnelson unexpectedly fell !;
on his then retreating across the Cum
berlAnd river aud subsequently gatlIsr-
ing up his forces and striking the army
of the unwary and incredulons Sher-
man at Shiloh, where, in the leading
en- the victorious march, he was mer.
tally wounded. This surprise of -
force fully as large as his own, before
the junction Of Buell., was Napoleon.
ic stroke. And az Bueli's coming mp
late in the afternoon saved ShermAn's
army from annihilation, there is natur-
ally a reflection as to what might have
been,if the inspiration Of such q leader
had not been taken away early in the
day. And on the other hand there Is
the reflection that if Gen. Sherman
had not refused to believe that an at
tack would be made if hb had not in
sultingly rebufed all reports brought
him of signs Of a coming at
tack and If he had not utterly neglect
| ed all dispositions for defense, and all
usual vigilance, Johnston would prob's-
bly, have been repulssd by Sherman's y
troops The lighting qualities which
they showed under such disadvantages
| prove that they would have done all
that could be asked Of soldiers if
they had bad general organization for
battle. But this does not detract from
Gen. Johnston's gsneralship.a He died
in the hour Of success Of brilliant
stroke of generalshiP."
. The Gazette is disingeRuous in say
ing Of Johnston that be surprised ga
| force fully as large as his own" In
planning the attack, the forces to be
considered by Johnston were Grants
troops. SO, 600; Buell's, $4,000; Mitch
| els, 10000 total, 100000. To en-
| gage these Johnston was able to get
| together about 10000 men. 1t was
bis splendid confidence and energy, his
brave but educated soldiership, that
did not blench before disproportionate
numbers and necessary risks, which led
| him. on his superb exploit. All his
words and actiSns before the battle at,
| test his spirit. " My son" said he tc
Marnadnke, laying his hand impress
giveIy en- his shoulder, 1--WE must this
day conquer or perish" The night be-
fore he had said, ] will attack though
they be a million. They can offer nc
greater front than c.ll, and all the
q. surplus men they crowd ,behind it will
do then more harm than good" In
the combat which ensued, the actual
force engaged and crushed was at least
one third greater than its own. But
i forhisdeath, Buell. would dhavearriVedjus
in time to behold the demolition oi
Grant and Sherman, and to fall back as
rapidly as possible. The likelihood il
| that be could not have regained the
line Of the Cumberland without bat.
lie and defeat. Indeed the fall Of the
tsonfederacy dates from thief fallof Albert
| Sydney johnson. Theconsummation Of
the campaign which he marked ont
and executed 50 successfully to the mo
ment when he was stfuelk down, would
have added two. and perhaps three,
fresh states to the southern side, bavs
paralyzed and divided the federal eOun