Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-24
TWO CENTS.
GEN. HowARD.s ESTIMATE.
He Thinks Gen. Johnston the Greatest Con.
federate Commander I'm Some Respects.

~~--N-~-NN--N-N-
Gen. o. o. Howard. commanding the mill
tary division Of the Atlantic, came to this city
to attend the funeral of Gen. Joseph f. John
ston. He remarked today to a STAR reporter
that Gen. Johnston had splendid career in the
army before the war. doing loyal service. and
that since the war, after having fought for his
convictions to the end. had made a
complete surrender. Since then no
man has been more loyal in heart or more
gentle toward those Of us who fought against
him. The general says he met Gen Johnston
at Gen. Shermans table very soon after the
close Of the rebellion.
He was pail bearer for Gen. sherman and
on that occasion grasped hands in most
friendly sympathy. for indeed Gen Sherman
ston the instant he returned TO the support of
the old flag
Your western campaign with sherman was
against Johnston asked the reporter.
'ies. was the reply. AT first was in the
army of the Cumberland and commanded
the fourth corps. When Sherman threw
against Johnston portions of the three
armies-Schotield. the Ohio; Thomas.
the Cumberland. and Mcpherson. the Ten
nessee-in all those operations Johnston con-
Quoted his campaign well as a human being
conld. Having probably third more than he
in numbers of course we were able to turn his
tanks and cause his retreat But he
held the integrity of his army till
the battle Of Peach Tree creek. near At
lanta. whom the dissatisfied president of
TIE coufederacy relieved him because he did
not conquer sherman and substituted Hood.
Hood in -four battles shattered his
army and in two more absolutely
annihilated it, Purely as mill
tary study the generalship of sherman and
Johnston cannot properly be compared and con
tod ali n.
out exception. regarded Gen. Johnston the
ablest confederate general in the field. How
ever. our feeling for Gen. Johnston is tender
and kind because he himself had a tender and
kind heart"
'.You remark. General. that several officers OF
the Union army think Johnston the ablest OF
those opposed to you during the rebellion. In
what respect
AS strategist we had ample opportunities
to observe him. In wooded country. full OF
streams and trees with an occasional mountain
height, he appeared TO have a quick instructive
apprehension of just what the versatile Sher.
man had determined TO do. He antici-
pated danger of being crushed. and
either massed with abbateau intrench-
ment IN such way a. 20 prevent it or retired &c
a new position. which was after a single
night thoroughly fortified the old one,
with the best men to command
corps and divisions. and he retreated
without loss of cannon or the ordinary impedi.
menta. He would take advantage, as at Fair
Oaks of sudden storm with n rise in the
river. the small streams becoming a dividing
barrier to the army OF his opponent. and hurl
his whole force upon a part. He did these
things with such readiness that it was evident
that he had the mastery of his profession and
the nerve to execute his plans. Probably
the only thing that kept Joseph L. Johnston
from being much beloved in the United
States as any Of our generals. properly beloved
as they are is the fact Of that fearfully wrong
theory which we used to call state sovereignty
or state supremacy
Then he never recovered from that, Gid
hey'
1T was probably too much bred in the bone
to be got rid of altogether. But il
took the harmless form of state au-
tonomy and state rights good meet
ing ground for all of us-only the old
veteran soldiers of the Union will always write
nation with large and manifest a devotion
to the old hag-the flag of the whole country
which makes the state boundary lines very din
to their weakening vision"