South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-04-03

o-~' cOsEfH "a. JOHNbfOH.-I ne
military career OF Gen. Joseph z.
Johnston. which began over sixty
years ago, vas marked by ernspicu-
Gus galiantry ut thu outset and by
masterly generAlship against over.
~heiming odds at the c'ose. In Flor
ida and in Mexico hee exhibited . dar.
'ns courage, which was proved by the
numbeE OF his wounds, SPna At the
same time demonstrated that his mil.
itary abilities were Of very high or.
der. lnheri,ir g martial spirit from
HE father, who. when q mere lad, be.
came revolutionary soldier. he was
welded 10 his profession which Was
Tor him as IL Was for Lee, q noble
science, 10 which be Dedicated all his
energies. With Lee, he was one OF
the mos. no able Of the group Of
young officers Who before the war
wero regarded as coming meL' in he
army-a sroap that included several
Marylanders, with whom both John
ston and Lee were on terms OF affec-
tionate intimacy, When tho MAR be.
gan, he ike Lee, resigned his com.
mission rather than fight against his
native State, Virgin ia, and 1t was on
Virginia's soil that be contributed 60
largely to tho FIRST brilliant success OF
the Confcderacy-the frs. Bull Run
or Manassas. Willie the credit for
that remarkable triumph must be shar
ed with 3aeuregsrd, it canno. be de-
MED that but for his strategy in rem
deting Paiterson's forces imperative
and marching to the assistance Of
beuregard, the latter probably would
not not have been able to crueh Nc
Oowell and to put his army to 30 de.
moralizing q rout as that " hich follow.
ed the battle. Unfortunately. General
Johnston'sideas as TO the proper met b
od Of conducting operations came in.
to conflict with tbose OF the authorities
NJ Richmond. and it has been claimed
and probably with justice, on his be-
half that be WAS not permitted to
work cut their full frui,ion the plans
no hal formed FOR battling Sherman i.
His value to the Confederaey vas
seen however. in the disasters that
followed his removal from command,
and his military reputation was fully
yindicated when President Davis and
his advisers turned TO him in taef r
extremity as the only man capable Of
repairing the damsge that had been
done. But it was then too late, and
although General Johnston loyalty
e1erted himself to the utmost of his
powers, the doomed Con fe dera cy OPP
pied to its fall. Johnston stands with
Lee and Jackson among the great
commanders Of the Confe deracy, and
VirgiLia,- which may be called the
mother OF Generals as we'll as mother
Of Presidents. has every reason 20 be
proud Of her distinguished son. 4
pure. high.minded gentleman an in.
trepId soldier, master Of the art Of
war, whom the greatest of his enemies
respected and feared, he presents TO us
and 10 those who come after US a no.
BILE type Of the cultured American.
The closing years Of his life were
spent in the service Of q reunited
country country for which be-
bad fought and bled In his earlier
years, and in peaceful and friendly
intercourse with tn ,se whom he had
confronted as enemies ON the field Of
battle. 1t was singuIarly approp Iiats
that his last notable appearances be-
fore the public should have been as
the central figure at The unwilling OF
the Richmond monument to Lee, the
comrade and friend of his youth and
his fellow.hero Of the Confeder acy :,
and as one of the chief mourners at
the bier of his old adversary, Shey-
man who preceded him by only q
few short weeks to the grave. BALTIC.
SuR.