The morning call., 1891-03-22
CONFEDERATE LEADER GONE
Death Of General Joseph E. Johnston After
a Short Illness.

WASHINGTON. March 21.-General Joseph
E. Johnston died shortly after II o'clock
tonight.
His physician had been trying to keep his
strength up for some days, but his advanced
age had given little hope for his recovery
from the beginning of his illness. The Gen
eral did not seem to suffer in the least and
was conscious to the last. The immediate
cause Of death was heart failure, the result
of degeneration of the heart. due in meas
ure to cold. AT times, for about two
years, General johnson has shown unmis-
taxable signs of a general breaking down.
His mind often became bewildered. so lie
could not tell where he was or how he came
there. At the beginning OF his last attack
of illness DR.. Lincoln was summoned
and succeeded with much difficulty in ar
resting the progress of the disease for
time. Prior to a week ago yesterday the
General seemed to be improving, but on
that day he went downstairs without as
SlStaDce, over eXertlng himself. Since then
lie has continued tU grow worse until
O'Clock this evening, when the doctor found
him perfectly comfortable and apparently a
little better. There WAS no warning that
the end was so near. Governor McLaDe of
Maryland entered the room a little after IL
O'Clock, and as he approached the bed he
Johnston was dead The funeral service
will be held in this city. The iatermenG
will take place in Baltimore.
General Johnston was the last, save Gen.
Confedsracy. He was born In Prince Edward
County, Va. in February, 1907. He graduated
at West Point IN 1929 serving mainly on gar
rIson duty till 1884, and was aide TO Scott In the
Seminole He resigned in May, 1897, and
re-enlered the army in 1898 First Lieuten-
ant OF Typographical Engineers. In l843 lie
served on The survey or the boundaries between
the States and the BRUSH provinces. During the
Mexican war he served as Captain of Topographic
ical Engineers under General Scott in all the i'm
pOitdni actions, was twice wounded, ana sue
ctssyely breyeted as Major, LleuIenaut-Colonel
and Colonel. His regiment OF VoltiPeurs was
disbanded in 184S, but lie was replaced in his
former rank as Captain In the army. His work
I'LL June, 1860, was chiefly OF an en-
gineering nature In Western States. but
at that time lie became Quartermaster.Gen.
era lie resigned his commission April %,
1861, entered the Confederate service aud COM
m ,uded at Bull Run aud al Yorktown and Rich
mond. AT FAIR Oaks (May, 1862 lie was Sc
verely wounded and Tor some months disabled
Tor service. lu November, 1862. lie had
mand OF the Depart im"nts of the tennessee and
Mississippi. He attempted to relieve Pember-
ton at NlcHsbuTg, tut was repused al jackson
and retruated TO Canton. After Bragg's defeat
at Chattanooga. in November, 1868, he took
command OF his army, was turned by Sherman
from his position Ut Dalton, Ca, in May, 1864,
and fell back by stages 10 Atlanta. On July 17th
lie was ordered TO turn over his command TO
dered TO drive back Shetin with all the forces
lie could concentrate, but lie was unable 10
check Shetman's victorious march. He surreu-
dered to Sherman April 1866, at Durhan's Sta
tion, near Greensboro, n. c. After the war he
was actively engaged III tile industrial recon-
stIuction of the South, with headquarters at
Savannah, Ga.
General Johnston was SO well preserved that
lew people, even i'll Washington, realized that he
was octOgeuarlan. He had fiue, straight
figure, aud he'd himself erect, sitting stand
ing, riding or walking, with military precision.
lous neatness. He was great walker and
tramped all the city, riding very seldom.
except III Tniny weather. And so, IN spite OF his
White hair and beard (D0th so trim ana well
kepp,he did nots EN- TO have reached three-seOre
and Ien. Ii was ouly when you looked Into his
eyes and that they had lost lustre that you
appreciated his age. Yet he graduated from
West Point No. Is III the class OF 1929, in which
Robert E. Lee stood No. 2.
1t is not little strange that Lee and Johns
ton, rivals as they were for the highest place In
The military history OF the Southern Gonfeder-
acy, should have been the only famous soldiers
that graduated in that class of fotty-siX men.
General o. NJ. Mitchell alerward the Cincinnati
and Albany astronomer who stood No. 10 IN the
class, was The only Of her man who attained fame,
though be served.
General johnston brought the early DAYS Of
the country veiy Geas. THINK OF man VINO was
In the Black hawk war and who was ordered 10
Charleston to prevent South CarOliua's threat.
ened nuIlificatiOn In 1882 holding an important
executive Office in 1889.
After the war lie became successively Presi-
dent OF railroad company IN Arkansas, an eX.
press company IN Virginia, aud an insurance
agent in Georgia. He was elected to Congress
public life as Commissioner OF Railroads during
CleyelauQ'S administration,