The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-02
GEN. JOSEPH e. JOHNSTON.
The Career of the Man Who Eas Been Made
Commissioner of Railroads.

The Career of the Man Who Eas Been Made
Commissioner of Railroads.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The nomination of
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. to be Commissioner
of Railroads, was favorably reported from the
Senate committee on railroads to-day. The re-
port was unanimous
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston who has been APP
pointed Commissioner of Railroads, in place of
William II. Armstrong was born in Prince Ed
ward county Va, in February, 1907 He gradu-
ated at West Point in 1929, served mainly on
garrison duty till 1884. and was aide to General
Scott III the Seminole war. He resigned in May
1887, and re-entered the army in 1888 as first
lieutenant of the Typographical engineers. In
1S43 he served on the survey of the boundaries
between the States and the British provinces.
During the Mexican war he served as captain of
typographical engineers under General Scott IN
all the important actions was twice wounded,
and successfully brevetted as major, lieutenant
colonel and colonel. His regiment of vol
tiguers was dsbanded in 1913, but he was
replaced in his former rank captain in the
army. His work till June, 1861 was chiefly Of
an engineering nature, in Western States, but
at that time he became Quartermaster- general
He resigned his commission April %, 1861, en-
tered the confederate service, and commanded at
Bull Run and at Yorktown and Richmond. AT
Fair Oaks May, 1862. he was severely wounded
and for some months disabled for service. In
ments of the Tennessee and Mississippi. He at
tempted to relieve Pemberton at Vicksburg, but
was repulsed at Jackson and retreated to Canton
After Bragg's defeat at Chattanooga, in Novem-
Der, 1863, he took command of his army, was
turned by Sherman from his position at Dalton
Ga, in May, 1864 and fell back by stages to
Atlanta. On July IL he was ordered to turn
over his command to General Hood. On Febru-
airy, 1865, he was ordered to drive back Sher
man with all the forces he could concentrate,
but he was unable 70 check Shermans victorious
march. He surrendered to Sherman April, '66,
at Durhams Station, near Greensboro, n. G.
Since the war he has been actively engaged in
the industrial reconstruction of the South, with
headquarters at Savannah, Ga He is the author
of "a Narrative of Military Operations" chiefly
of his own campaigns.
The chief criticism upon his appointment is
that he is too old. General Johnston is probably
seventy-eight and if he shall undertake to per-
sonally inspect the great system of Immigrant
railroads Of which the law requires that he shall
have supervision the physical labor may be too
great for him. But General Johnston does not
appear to be man of seventy-eight years. He
is as hearty, active, and vigorous as most men OF
sixty. He was the highest officer in rank who
resigned from the United States army in 1861
and took service in the army of the Confederacy
General johnston some four years ago. was
elected to Congress from the Richmond, Va,
district, and has lived in Washington since
that time. He is gentleman of striking APP
pearance. He is about medium height slight
in figure, with short gray beard, and a keen,
flashing eye. He is erect and Grm, and his step
is as strong as that Of man twenty years his
junior. He shows his military training i'll every
movement and has the walk and bearing of a
soldier The wife of General Johnston, who has
long been an invalid is the daughter of Hon.
Lewis McLane of Maryland. Lewis McLane
was a representative in Congress, a United
States senator, minister to England, a Cabinet
officer under Johnson and was the father of the
new minister to France. General Johnston and
Minister McLane are therefore brothers in-law.
1t is said that General Johnston was offered a
place in The Hayes Cabinet instead of Key, and
it is certain that General Grant desired to1p-
point him commissioner of the District of Co
lumbia