Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-08-12
WEDNESDAY.
A CHAT WITH GENERAL JOHNSTON.
Proud 10 BE One of General Grants
Pall ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Jackson aSa Leader.

General Joseph Johnston, the we'll
known Confederate leader, who at Mrs.
Grants special request was selected as a
pall-bearer by the President, arrived at
the Palmer House yesterday from Port
land, Ore, on his way to New York
General Johnston, though now well along
in years, stands erect and looks every
inch soldier. He is about five feet ten
inches in height, and his closely cropped
beard and mustache are snow white.
What remains of his hair is also white,
but the locks are scanty now, although
the eyes are bright and the voice pleas
ant.
"Where you pleased at being invited to
be pall-bearer at the funeral, General ?"
the scribe inquired.
Eyes, Twas very much gratified at hav-
ing the opportunity to pay my respects to
the memory of General Grant," the
General replied; "and think that both
North and South should do honor to his
memory. The South has, and, what is
more, the General had almost as many
friends in the South as in the North. At
the time it was proposed to reinstate Cen
eral Grant the Southern Representatives
supported il quite as strongly, if not
moro so, than the Northern, and | am
sure the South mourns his loss"
"Would it be fair to ask your opinion
of General Grant as General, you being
an old foe?"
"No; should not deem it right to talk
on that subject; but | will say this: At
the close of the year 1864 things We're
about equal between the two armies. The
Federal troops were stretched out in such
a long line, so that when an attack was
made by the Southern armies, who were
on the defensive, sufficient force
could always be collected to stop
the advance OF part of that line, and
such being the case, the rest of it
could not advance without their commun-
ication being broken. When General
Grant took command he massed his
forces into two great armies, one under
himself and the other under Sherman,
and by this means completely crushed
the armies opposing him. | do not say
the result would have been different in
the end, but am sure of this-that Gen
eral Grant fastened the conclusion of the
war in a remarkable manner
''Then you give no opinions?"
"No. / have had bad experience OF
opinions. When l was commanding on
the Mississippi during the war an Eng
lish officer came to me with strong let
ter OF introduction from Mr.. Mason Cat
that time Commissioner to England, ask
ing me to show him all the civilitY
could OF course / welcomed hin to the
camp, at least, if such it could be called,
as he had no tents, but only some cook
ing utensils, and during the time he was
there he had frequent talks over
the camp fire. In one OF these,
in speaking of the respective
merits Of Longstreet and "StonewalP'
Jackson, said that the former was the
better General from a strategical point of
view than Jackson. Six months after
ward l received book in which the
whole conversation was printed. Now,
Is Jackson was perfect idol among the |
of the South, you can
imagine that | became exactly the OPP |
1osite.'
"Then you do not consider Jackson a !
treat General ?"
"Not as a strategist, but as division /
and fighter, yes. The action
or which he got most praise was really
lefeat, and that was the battle of Cross !
Keys. Jackson and Ewell's corps were
opposed to- Fremont and Shields, and |
Jackson was in command. Shields was !
advancing on the opposite side of the /
liver from Fremont, and had a compar
Itively weak corps. Fremont had a
trong one. Jackson's corps was the !
stronger of the Confederates. Jack I
ION detailed Ewell to attack FIRE.
mont, while he watched Shields /
md prevented him crossing the |
liver. Ewell defeated Fremont, and
hen Jackson crossed the river and at
acked Shields, but he was beaten until
1well came to his assistance. Yet Jack
on for this received the thanks of Con-
.ress. The idea OF a man with a supe-
ior force watching an inferior while he
dispatches weaker force against supe-
ior is scarcely strategy"
The General left for New York by the
o'clock train. A gentleman who trav-
led with General Johnston said that the |
General told him it was one of the proud {
st moments of his life when he received
he request to be one of the pall-bearers,
nd that he had ridden seventy-five miles
nd driven 200 by stage before he could
,et at the train. The old General spoke
n the highest terms OF the generalship |
f the late General Chicago Herald.