Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-13
to Richmond. and request assignment
elsewhere" Which did forthwith.

elsewhere" Which I did forthwith.
GENERAL JOE JOHNSTON PROTESTS
subsequently learned that after our IN
terview at Manassas, General Johnston
wrote TO President Davis, protesting
against the injustice OF the existing state
OF affairs. and saying that he would ra'ss
no protest now nor until the indepena,
ence OF the Southern Confederacy ehouia
be achieved. when he would use All
lawful means to have his rank rightfuily
established. The gauntlet then tnrown
down was accepted as q gauge OF battie
between the President and General john
ston. ultimately causing his removal from
the command Of the Army OF Tennessee.
and the downfall of the Confederacy. as
many now believe. Johnston was crlti-
cal, controversial. and sometimes irritable
by nature: very exact In his statements.
and possessed OF a wonderful memory.
Few men read SO much as he. and none
! have ever seen retained 30 accurately
facts and impressions, or were 30 care
full In the selection Of the words 10 ex-
press their views. 1t is not probable
that any man In our country had ever
studied the histories and biographies OF
wars and warriors as had Johnston.
SHUT liAo
FIRED.
At Seven Pines, when assured OF VIC
tory. Johnston was stricken down by
the severcst injury he had ever received.
A shell burst near him. breaking three
OF his ribs, and at the same time a
rHe-ball pierced his shoulder blade. He
fell from his horse and was borne from
the field to the residence Of his friend, MI.
Cranshaw, where he lay until somewhat
recovered from his eleventh AMI last
wound. While lying there he vas The
object OF great interest and affection 10
all our people. who felt We were deprived
at most critical time Of our great
leader, who. up to that time. had ev:ncei
every capacity Of a general, while Lee
had not yet achieved success In the field.
During this period an old gentleman. Of
Richmond. called 20 pay his respects and
express sympathy for our general lie
said: General, ! not only deplore this
because OF the suffering 1t entails upon
you, but / consider II a great natioral
calamity" To his great amazement John
ston suddenly raised himself upon his
elbow. and, with his peculiar energy Of
expression, said: "No. sir. The shot that
struck me down Is the very best shot
that has been fired for the Southern Con-
federacy yet. For ] possess I'm no lecree
the confidence OF our government, and
now they have in my place one who does
possess II. and who can accomplish what
j never could have done-the concentra-
ton OF our armies for the defence Of the
capital OF the Cenfederacy."
PUBLISHED IN THE DISPATCH.
Dr. Fauntleroy. his medical attendant
and the chief surgeon of the army. was
present at this interview. which he re-
lated to me many years after when John
ston was running for Congress, and
when the opposition papers were daily
disparaging him. Fauntleroy told me
this while / was on my way 10 the White
Sulphur. where General and Mrs.
Johnston were established for the srn.-
mer. / urged Fauntleroy TO publish this
Characteristic anecdote in the Richmond
Dispatch. He demurred, but l insisted
that lie owed II to the General 10 re-
mind our people OF those days when ht
endured so much for them. and he finally
agreed to do it. stipulating that he should
not sign his name to the story.
Accordingly it came out In the next
issue of the Dispatch. signed "Medicus.'
1 went on my way 10 the Springs. we'll
pleased with the part had borne IL tbs
tribute to the old man.
A few days afterward Johnston re-
turned from his canvass, ana VAS bright
and well satisfied with the progress Il
his contest. He hunted me up about din
ner-time. and said he had some flesh
mint and good brandy at his SOC age
where he would CO. and his wife would
make us a julep. on our way across tho
lawn he was so CHEEKY and pleasant that
II seemed to me a favorable lime TO tel
him Of Fauntleroy's publication. a"d !!
he seemed greatly pleased, / would in-
part to him my share OF this friendly SER
vice. AS I proceeded with my narrative
] observed an ominous silence come over
him. with an increasing redness Gbcu'
HIS face and a peculiar twitchins OF his
neck, premonitory Of an explosion. sud-
denly he stopped still. and In a flefct
famous outrage. sir, 70 publish n Scn.la'
mans name in the newspapers without
his permission?' / did not remind him
tSat his name had been Gany for r-;ry
months published in the newspapers " nh
out his permission. nor did j think II
worth while to allude to the part | had
borne in this Infamous outrage but
lust went right along. In fact. I rather
acquiesced in his views and changed the
subject, till Mrs. Johnson. with her de-
licious juleps and hearty cordiality. made
us forget all the outrages OF the world.
thereafter, we propose to make Other
extracts from this Interesting book. The
Dispatch)