Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-20
THE SISTER OF GEN. COBB.
4 Portrait and Sketch of Mrs. john
.op Sent tn the Georgia Room.

~
son Sent to the Georgia Room.
The ladies' in charge Of the Georgia
Room of the Confederate Museum have
received the following sketch OF MIS-
Mary Cobb Johnson, accompanied by her
portrait, which has been hung by the
side Of those Of her two illustrious
brothers in the Georgia Room:
Carve not upon stone Wheh 1 am
dead
The praises which remorseful mourners
give;
To womens graves. a tardy recon-
pense
But speak them while live"
Mrs. Mary Cobb johnson. the heroic
sister of Generals Howell and L. X. H.
Cobb, was born in Athens, Ca, June y
1898; was married to Colonel II. r. Ell
win in October, 1851, and lived IN
Alabama until Colonel Erwin's death.
which occurred in 1853. From the begin
ming OF the war Mrs. Erwin was
president OF the Soldiers Aid Society.
and fitted I'D q hospital at her own ex-
pense where she cared for the sick and
wounded In May. 1864, she married Dr.
j. M. johnson, who had charge or the
hospitals in Atlanta, and removed 70
that citv. where she lived until ordered
IN leave by General Sherman. Two
weeks after Atlanta was burned she re-
turned to find her home in ruins and
everything she possessed destroyed. AS
soon as she could ut up home Tor the
family-with a gifted husband to provide
for them-she began the noble work or
caring for the neglected Confederate
dead, who were lying In trenches all
around Atlanta. They had fallen In
battle in defence OF that city, and she,
personally, superintendent removing the
dead for ten miles around and through
the city. In some OF the trenches she
found as many as ninety bodies wrapped
In their blankets. hands crossed, with
their caps laid over their faces. When
exposed to the air they crumbled TO
dust. Their bones were sacredly
gathered and placed In boxes already
prepared.
Atlanta was burned to the ground In
| 1861 by General Sherman, and the I'M
| poverished citizens found It difficult 10
| get lumber to rebuild their homes. Mrs.
! Johnson was compelled to have lumber
| to make boxes to bury the dead. She
went to Stone Mountain, where she
heard some lumber could be bought. she
| purchased it, brought 1t to Atlanta, and
engaged workmen to make the boxes.
She went every day to see how tho work
was progressing. The lumber seemed &c
De going too fast for the number oil
boxes made, so one morning about day
light she thought she would go and see
| II she could discover the cause Of II;
disappearance. She found man with q
dray-load Of the precious lumber ebou'
| TO drive off, She stopped him instantly
| He said he had bought II from the work
ingmen. She told him that they had no
right to sell what did not belong to them
and made him unload it.
From that time she superintendent the
making OF the boxes, until 1900 unknown
patriots had been given Christian
burial. 1t cost 5000 to provide boxe:
and remove these bodies. Some of this
money had been subscribed to the Con-
federate monument, but Mrs. johnson
said mot cent could go for monu
rnent until these soldiers were buried"
She was president OF the Ladies' Ne
| mortal Association, Of Atlanta, fol
twelve years, during which time the
handsome Confederate monument was
erected and, although Dr. Johnson'i
health demanded her constant attention
she did not resign the presidency until
1t was paid for.
After DR.. Johnson's death she begal
active work again. and ably assisted II
erecting headstones to the known dead
ABS. and shafts. and other designs L
the unknown she had buried in 1866.
Mrs. Johnson is still living, yet al
active worker in Church and State.
southern woman OF the grand old type
one of the greatest women the Soutl
has produced.