Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-17
GEN. JOE JOHNSTON.
His Peculiar Powers Of Observation
and other Characteristics.

From tls S. Louis Re1u5hc1a.
CARTHAGE. Mo, April 12.-The NOM
ination and confirmation of Gen. Jo-
s1ph +. Johnston as Commissioner
Of Railroads is not only a fitting
tribute to the exalted merit OF
great and good man, but a conspicuous
example Of the ability OF our President TO
elect and put the right man in the right
place. His long life spent in the public
service is on record. and few men can
better afford to commit their history to the
judgment Of mankind.
Here are few anecdotes illustrative of
bis peculiar powers of observation and
other characteristics Of mind which have
MOI appeared in prints
After assuming command Of the army
of the Tennessee. at Dalton, a grand re-
view was ordered; and Gen. Johnston,
superDly mounted on a magnificent thor
oughbred bay. came sweeping down our
line followed by the usual cayalcade Of
Generals and staff officers. He would
halt a mement in front of the cOlOrs Of
each regiment, face to the line and raise
his cap with martial grace never eXcelled.
In passing our regiment his quick eve
caught the gallant bearing Of our boy
Colonel, John +. Murray, then about u
years Of age, who had been a cadet at
W est i ONT lbF wv % years. anu WIS lRba-
bly, distinguished for what the boys called
a tgallus salute" After the parade Gen.
Johnston sought our Brigadier, Goyan,
and inquired the name of his young
Colonel OF the grand martial salute"
and. after hearing of his proud achieve
ments as the boy hero Of the brigade, he
invited him to his headquarters and en-
tertained him for a week. The Colonel
used to say that she picked up more solid
chunks Of wisdom that week than he had
ever d me in his life before" The brilliant
career Of this gallant boy closed with the
campaign in the last battle around At
Ianta, where ne foremost fighting fell"
with a bullet hole through his com
mission OF Brigadier General in his breast
pocket.
During this Georgia campaign Gen.
Johnston would often inspect the
hastily constructed line Of rifle pits,
and in riding down the line at full
speed he would sometimes halt sud-
/ denly and beckOn an officer of his
staff, and with few rapid motions Of his
/ hand order an angle reversed or the line
/ advanced or retired in conformity with
the contour Of the ground in front; and on
4 one OF these occasions the writer, who
/ was loungng on the ground with his COM
/ rades some thirty PAGES IN the rear made
/ a wager that he could attract the Generals
/ attention by salute. pom arising and
/ facing towards the General as he rushed
/ by looking in the opposite direction, the
/ writer modestly raised his "cOOnskln."
! When the Generals white hat shot up
| in the air in graceful recognition the
/ boys all remarked that the "old man
could see as well in the rear as be could
/ in 'front.'"
In passing through Jackson, Miss, to
take command of the army a large crowd
/ OF citizens and furloughed soldiers In.
sisted on his presenting himself on the
| platform Of the car and making them a
! speech. lie SAID: ''If all the able-bodied
men l see before me were in line at the
front there would be no occasion for re-
treat OF the army"
When he was relieved of command at
! Atlanta his soldiers literally shed tears OF
hopeless sorrow, and when zen. Hoods
plan of swinging around 10 Gen. Sher-
mans rear was fully detailed to him by a
staff officer and his opinion asked as to
the wisdom of the plan, he replied with
sadness in the prophetic words, "Too
/ Brilliant"
In social conversation with his staff
one Of them asked him how many times
he had been wounded. He replied, Eight
/ times.' The staff remarked that he was
the most unfortunate General in this re-
/ spect he had ever known.
mo, sir" said he, "the most fortunate
/ for it was only by the mercy of God l was
not killed upon either occasion"