The Opelousas courier., 1891-04-11
GEN. Joseph e. Johnston.
A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Gen. Johnston was the last save Gen. Beau
regard of the six full generals of the Confe-
deracy. He was born at Cherry Grove, Va,
In 1902, and was graduated from West Point
in 1929, in the same class with Gen. Robt. E..
Lee. He was appointed second lieutenant of
the Fourth Artillery and first saw active SER
vice in the field in 1882, in the Black Hawk
Indian expedition. He was promoted in 1886,
and was ar aide-de-camp OF Gen. Winfield
Scott's staff in the Seminole war.
He participated in all the important battles
connected with Gen. Seatt's campaign in
Mexico, from the taking of Vera Cruz to the
capture of the City of Mexico. He was
thrice breveted for gallantry during this war,
and IN lS48 was mustered out of the
service as a lieutenant colonel of
volunteers, only to be reinatated by congress
with his original rank of captain of topo-
graphical engineers. He was commissioned
q-uarter-master general of the United States
army in June, 1860. but resigned the following
April to enter the Confederate service, in
which. as a major general of volunteers, he
assisted Gen. Lee III the work of organizing
the men who were pouring into Richmond.
subsequently he was commissioned a briga.
dier general in the regular Confederate SER
vice aud took command of Harper's Ferry.
He joined forces with Beauregard and
remained in command of the consolidated
troops until 1862 At the battle of Seven
Pines he was wounded and untitled for duty
for about six months. His next service was
a. commander of the Army If Tennessee. He
employed the winter of 1863 in reorgauiZing
his command, which had become deinoralized
by the defeat at Missionary Ridge. He was
relieved OF this comman iii July, 1864, ny
order of the authorities at Richmond. Gen.
Hood succeeded him. Early in 1866 Gen.
Lee again assigned him TO the command from
which he had been relieved and ordered him
70 drive back Sherman. Gen. Johnston
urged Lee To abandon Richmond, join forces
with him aud fight Sherman before Grant
could come up. but Lee replied that it was
impossible for him to leave Virginia, as his
force was small.
Gem Johnston, declining a decisive en-
gagement, hung on Sherman's TANKS, annoy
ing the latter impeding and his march.
from Atlanta toward Richmond as much as
possible. Lee surrendered at Appomatox,
and Johnston. obtaining the consent of Pres
ident Davis that the war should not be furth-
er prolonged. entered into negotiations with
Sherman. The first agreement framed was
d~isapproved by the Federal government, and
on April 20 a second agreement was con-
Guided.
Gen. Johnston after the war became sue
oessiTely president of a railroad company in
Arkansas. Of an express company in Virginia
and another In Georgia. He was elected to
congress- from Richmond in 1877 and next saw
public life as a commissioner of railroads,
which Office he held under President CIeye-
lands administration. He had lived in this
city since he lost.his Office under the present
administration.
Gen. Johnston was a man of slender build,
of not more than medium height, and with a
kindly, pleasant face. He was unobtrusiye
persons with whom he was brought in con-
tact.