Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-26
GEN. ]. B. JOHNSTON.
Interesting "reminiscences Of Hin BY
General Dabney II. MaurY.
his GALLANT SERVICES IN MEXICO.
An Uapubiished Letter which Makes some
Startling Historical Disciosures--As
Husband, Friend, and Companion.
rwn,tep for the DIspa.ch.I

The white flag, and General Scott appoint
ed Captain Robert L. Lee and Captain Jo-
seph 4. Johnston OF his staff TO 90 into the
place and arrange tho terms Of its surren-
der. They were then distinguished young
officers, intimate friends to each other. and
their martial appearance as they rode SUI
perbly mounted TO meet the Mexican Of
fcers gave a general feeling of satistac-
ton TO our army that such representatives
Of the North Americans had been
chosen for such sn occasion.
Afew days before General Scotthad pub
lished 10 his army congratulstory. order
announcing "the great victory won by the
suooessha General Taylor" on the field of
Buena Vista: We young Virginians felt
very proud that day.
After disposing of Vera Cruz We moved
on towards the City of Mexico. The
army marched along the great National
road made by the old Spanisrds till about
April l2th, whom some cannon-shots from
Cerro Gordo checked the advance guard OF
our cavalry. and made us know Santa
Anna was prepared to give us osttio there
WOUNDED IN MEXICO.
Captain Johnston was ordered TO make q
reconnaissance of his position.
company of the Rifles NOW Third cavalry
was part of his escort. being attached
70 il. We had been halted in the timber,
Just out Of sight Of the enemy. some
twenty minutes, when we heard the rattle
of mtsketry, and few minutes later the
order cAme to fall back to the right and
left of the road" TO let the bearers OF Cap;
tam Johnston pass by. lie had received
two severe wounds while making daring
Reconnaissance, and was borne back 70
Plan Del Rio and placed in the most airy
house in the village, where 1 also was
borne five days later being severely
wounded.
Stevens Mason, captain Of the Rifles was
taken there also, ana o few, days atter
lieutenant Darby (John Phoenx) was
brought in and laid on cot by my SIDE.
A DIscIPLINABIAH.
The rooms were separated by partitions
of reeds, which admitted the passage OF AIR
and sound. And we could converse from
one room 10 another. Darby's coarse
humor wss irrepressible. Nothing could
stop il, and it gave ANNOYANCE espe-
cially TO Captain Johnston, who, was as
uure as a woman in word and thought.
But he lay quiescent, without any express
sion Of pain, though his wounds were the
most grievous of all, and silently endured
Darby's Jokes till he heard him one day
order his servant TO catch lamp ron .
passing flock and have II cooked tor am
ner. Then he lifted up his voice and said,
IF you dare to do that, SIR. will have
you court-msrtialled.' :,
After ten DAYS General Scott had all OF
us borne on filters up to the beautiful city
Of Jalapa, where we were in delicious
climate and luxurious quarters. >,
After getting strength enough 10 Walk
TO Captain (now Colonel Johnston's
ouarters-he had been promoted TO the
Internationally of the fine regiment
OF battigeurs-I went to see him every day,
and we there formed an attachment which
ever grew until the end. His nephew.
the gallant young Preston Johnston, OF
the artillery. was his constant companion
and nurse. Ten months Later, both had
been shot down IN battle in the valley
Young Preston Johnston was killed in
stantly His uncle, then heading the
battigeurs at Chapultepec, was again
severely wounded.
TENDER AFFECTION.
Only month ago he told me with deep
feeling OF his distress on hearing OF his
brave boys death, and how Lee, who broke
the news to him, wept as he grasped his
hand and told it. The affection between
these two great men was very tender.
COMPARISON.
After tho Mexican war We met no more
on duty until about 1858. when board OF
cavalry officers was assembled In Washing
ton to establish uniform equipage for
our cavalry and artillery regiments. we
were occupied several weeks on this busl.
ness in Winder's building, where during
the same time Captain William b. Frank
lin and Raphael Semmes were serving to-
gether on the lighthouse board. -.
One day after our daily session Franklin
said. Now that YOU have seen Lee and
Johnston working together for some
weeks, how do YOU estimate the two men
In previous discussion bad thought Lee
more full of promise and capacity.
| said, While both are az earnest and in
telligent as possible, / have noticed that
Colonel Lee often yields his opinions to
those of the board or of other members of
IL. while Colonel Johnston has never on
any occasion yielded his, but frequently
has made the board yield 70 HIM. In fact,
he is the one man who seems to have come
70 his work with clear and fixed idea OF
what is needed in every detatll OF 1t.
CORDIAL INTERCOURSE.
Our intercourse, as you know, has been
cordial and even affectionate ever since we
met in Mexico. was with him for few
DAYS after tho first battle of Manassas and
accompanied him as he rode over the field
and described the course and incidents
of the fight. Then, being ordered to
the West, met HIM no more until about
Christmas, 1852 When he came to our
army at Grenada with President Davis,
who reviewed and inspected 1t, the army
was in position in our entertainments on
the Yallabusha. / commanded the centre
and was in my place when General john
ston rode out from the Presidents coriege,
greeted me most cordially, and asked me
to ride with him, which We did tor several
hours.
A MISTAKE.
He had lust returned from an insp
of Vicksburg. and told me he had never
seen so much fertilization, and thought 1t
O mistake TO keep so large an army III an
entrenched camp; that the army ought to
be in the field; that heavy work should
be constructed to command the river Just
above Vicksburg at "the turn" with o
years supply for good garrison OF about
5000 men, which would guard the rlver
better than the long line of dispersed guns
and entertainments and troops which ex-
tended above and below NickSburg Tor
more than twenty miles.
While commanding the Department of
the Gulf i occasionally sent him supplies
of provisions, troops, and some siege:
pieces, which bo mounted on the works OF
Atlanta, declaring thereby his intention TO
"keep 1df place" After his removal from
command received this very interesting
letter from him:
General Johnston's Letter.
MACON, Ca. September I, 1884.
Ny Dear Maury,-l have been intending ever
since my arrival at this place to pay part OF
the epistolary debt / owe you. But You know
how lazy Il makes ono 10 have nothing 10 do, and
% with the hot weather we have been enduring
here have absolutely devoted myself 20 idle
meas. have been disposed 10 write moro par
ticularly OF what concerns myself-to explain to
you as far as practicable the operations for
which was laid on the shelf, for you are one Of
the last whose unfayorable opinion i should DO
willing 10 incur.
You know that the army 1 commanded was
That which, under General Bragg was routed at
Missionary Ridge. Sherman's army was that
which routed II reinforced by the Sixteenth and
Twenty-third corps. ! am censurod for not
taking the offensive at Dalton-where the enc
my, II beaten, had o secure refuge behind the
fortified gap at Rlnggold, or In the fortress OF
Chattanooga, and whore the odds against us
we're almost as ten 70 four. At Rssaca he re-
cstved ave bngades, near Kingston three, and
about $500 cavalry, at New Hope church ono
IN all about 1000 infantry and artillery. The
enemy received tho Seventeenth corps and a
number Of garrlsons and bridge guards from
Tennessee and Kentucky that had been relieved
"100-day men,"
foU0uT KvERY DAT.
am blamed for not fighting. Operations
commenced about the 9th Of May. i was re-
leved on tho 18Th OF July. In that time We
fought daily, always under circumstances %
hfs Ton "a be tai m