Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-08
SOLDIERS DEPARTMENT.
A GREAT COMMANDER.
Pen-Picture of General Johnston, the Con.
federate Leader.

itutFate Lcauer.
A very white-haired and white-whis-
kered gentleman sat in one of the Palace
Hotel chairs the other day, and while
he pulled away leisurely at cigar gazed
in idle though dignified curiosity at the
younger people passing by. Few of
San Francisco's jeHResse doree, with hats
a-cock and canes a-tip, gave more than
a passing glance at the white-haired old
| gentleman. The latter sat and eyed
them all, and seemed to note their air
of Indifference with AN amused express
sion of his dark cleaning eye, which
lay hidden behind an overhanging brow
frosted WITH silver How many of the
gilded youth bent only on a meridian
cocktail esd MONDAY lunch could have
even guessed at the aged mans iden-
tity, and if they had known it, how few
that would not have stared at him
And well they might.
The old man trim, erect, scruru-
lousy neat and with an air that some
how is not often seen in the present
generation one of the few living and
well-preserved of the mightiest per-
formers in Nations tragedy. Gener-
ais Grant and Lee are gone Hancock,
Ewell, Hooker, Hood, Jeb Stuart, Penn
berton-and now last and foremost of
the recent survivors, Sheridan, has
been laid to rest at Arlington. The two
most distinguished Of the commanders
Of the two great contending armies,
sherman and Joseph E. Johnston. are
yet living, and of the really great ones
on either side they are all that are left
Sherman is 10 New York, and it is old
General Johnston, who surrendered to
sherman on that disordered April morn
in North Carolina in 1863, that now sits
rocking his restful frame in the court of
the Palace.
Younger people who see the old Gem
eral hardly realize that he is the sole
survivor Of the distinguished Confeder-
ate leaders He is the last Of the olii-
GERS of that army who bore the full rank
Of General. There were bat three Of
these Lee, Johnston and Thomas J.
jackson (StonewalD, killed at Cham
cellorsyille. The leaders more closely
remembered by the generation Of to-
day, men like Beauregard Early, Long
street, Pemberton, Ewell, the younger
Lees and Hood, were -eutenant-Gen
erals There were scores Of Major
Generals Nearly all OF these who at
tanned distinction on filled the worlds
eye in great degree are gone. The
only names now recalled, OF those of
the living, who were subordinates of
the old, gray haired leader in the rock
ing-chair, are !ongsreet. Beauregard.
Early, Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh
Lee. Providence has dealt more merci-
fully with the distinguished survivors
of the rebellion than with those who
crushed it out. Few, indeed, Of the lat
ter remain none, in fact, but Sherman,
Schofeld Howard. Slocum and Terry
Old General Johnston is not only ami
able but very courtly. He chats very
pleasantly Of what he has seen in Cali
fornia in later years and discourses /
eloquently Of the marvellous changes
He viii even talk Of the growth Of the
whole great West and predict with
something of a sad air that il he could
only have foreseen forty years ago.
when he was a dragoon officer what
California was to be he would now not
have to depend upon his own resources.
One thing the old gentleman win not
talk about Let the subject OF the war
and the armed hosts OF the South be
brought up and the General draws into
his shell at once After hint thus re-
ceived it were well that a persistent
searcher for information had hied him
to monastery, for the indignant stare
he will get from General Johnston's
eyes will be remembered all his life.
One memory Of the war hewill speak
of -one hero of the Union forces he is
ever ready tn discuss General Sher-
man. Let the name of Sherman be
mentioned and the chances are that the
old mans eye win soften and he will
say We'll. it's all over but 'Tecump'
and | were classmates.
And so it was. These two highest
ranked combatants now living studied
logarithms. made field notes Of engi-
neering defenses. rode horses in cavalry
tactics. went out to old Benny Ravens
famous place for pop and ginger-beer
together. and now, when both have
fought their fight and the years are
gone, those whose rare privilege it is to
see the two together and witness their
antics often wonder if, after all, there
ever was a war. San Francisco En-
aminer.