The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-24
TRUE TO HIS NATION
II
STOOD GEN. R.iw. JOHNSON, IN
SPITE OF SOUTHERN
BIRTH.
TRIBUTE TO HIS CHARACTER,
OF NO WEAK WORDS, is DRAWN
UP By SURVIVING CON-
RADES.
HIS FUNERAL WILL BE SIMPLE.
Troops From Fort Smelling VIII Es-
cOrt the Fallen Hero to His
Grave.

At the request Of an informal COM
mittee, composed of Capt. J. ]. Nc
Cardy and others, a largely attended
meeting of ex-soldiers Of the Union
army was held in the reception parlor
OF the mayors office at $3.50 yesterday
morning, to make some arrangements
for the funeral of the late Maj Gen.
R. w. Johnson, u. S. A. retired, who
had been a resident of St. Paul for
many years. Mayor Doran was made
chairman, and Col. John H. Keatley
secretary. ~
Capt. c. S. Bunker, who with Capt
H. A. Castle and Col. Barker had con-
suited with the family Of the deceased,
reported that COLI Page, of the Third
infantry, commanding at Fort Shell
ing, had designated a number of ser
geants of that regiment to act as body
bearers at the funeral; that it was the
wish of the family that no unusual
display be made, and that the family
had selected number of old friends
of the deceased to act as honorary pail
bearers.
On motion of Gen. J. B. Sanborn,
Capt. Bunker, Capt Castle and Col.
Keatley were. appointed committee
to make allo further arrangements
that might beineeessary, and also to
publish a calf,urgently requesting all
! old soldiers in5 and about ST. Paul to
attend the funeral at House of Hope
| church this afternoon at $3.50 o'clock.
On motion of Capt Castle a committee,
composed of Gen. Sanborn, Gen.
Bishop, Col. r! M! Newport, Col. Bar
! ker and George r. Lewis was APP
| pointed to prepare and publish suit
| able resolutions regarding the military
| career and distinguished military and
| civil services of the deceased soldier
| and citizen. On motion Of Capt Har
! rieS, provision was made for, and the
above named committee of arrange
ments was directed to procure, suit
able and appropriate floral offering on
| behalf of those old soldiers who at
| tended the meeting.
In pursuance of instructions, the
committee of arrangements makes the
| following request:
! urgently requested to attend the funeral Of
| Maj. Gen. R. w. Johnson, U. S. A., at the
! House of Hope church, in this city on Sat
urday, the oath inst, at $3.50 p. m.
| III. A. Castle.
| e John H. Keatley,-
l
The following memorial was also
| unanimously adopted:
| Richard Washington Johnson was born in
| Livingston county kentucky; Feb. n, 1927,
| and died at st. Paul. Mimi, April Il, 1897.
| He has been connected with the regular army
i of the United States since 1874 when he en-
| tered qthe military academy, at West sPo int,
| from which he graduated July 1, 1S49. when,
1 he was appointed breyet second lieutenant
and assigned to duty in the Sixth regiment of
! infantry. On June 10, 1885, he was promoted
| to be second lieutenant of the First regiment
| of infantry, Of which regiment he was made
| adjutant March 8, 1858, and discharged the
duties of that position until March 3, 1855,
| when he was appointed regimental quarter
master of the Second cavalry, which position
he held until Sept. &c. 1856. He was appoint
| ed first lieutenant of the Second regiment Of
| cavalry March g. 1855 On Dec. 8, 1856, he
| was promoted to captain of Company F of
! that regiment, which rank he held at the
| commencement of the War OF the Rebellion.
| On July II, 1862. he was promoted to the
| rank of major of the Fourth cavalry. Oct IL
| 1861, he was promoted to the rank Of brga-
! der general of volunteers, and on March 10,
| 1865, was promoted to brevet major general
! of volunteers, and was honoraby mustered
| out Of the volunteer service Jan. Is 1866 and
| retired with the rank of major general Oct.
II, 1867. and with the rank of brigadier gen
| eral March g. 1875, which rank he held at the
| time of his death.
During the twelve years that interviewed be-
! tween the dateai of his graduation at West
Point, and 1861, when the War of the Re-
bellion commenced. the United States had
J been engaged in no. general war and his
services had been of that class then gen.
orally, and now to some extent required of
all the young officers ION the Notwithstanding
in the Indian country, pursuing and captur-
ing small detachfi1ents of Indians, performing
important staff duty maintaining discipline
and promoting the efficiency Of the commands
| to which they are attached. OF Such service
1t is sufficient to- say that 1T was discharged
| to the entire satisfaction of his regular off,
GERS and of the government.
Manhood and loyalty to government were
never put to seyerer test than in the case
of the soldiers and even the loyal citizens
Of the Southern states at the time Of the
breaking out ofs1thes rebellion. All the at
fractions and sentiment which spring from
| home, childhood, kindred, friends and state
pride, appealed to men tc remain true to the
state of their birth, and the apparent in
| terests Of their kindred and section. While
but a single voice, and this oftentimes ut
tered with feeble tone, called men to remain
true to that government whose dominion
extended over all states and all interests
Our deceased comrade had no hesitation in
deciding at once what the highest duty re-
quired Of him, or as to which should have
the weight of his influence and the advan-
tages of any service that it in his power
to render. When many members of his class
at West Point were resigning from the army
for the sole purpose of taking up arms against
the government. and when the conduct of
many others was such that even Mr. Lin
coin, with all his tact and skill was un-
able to determine who of said officers would
stand by him and who would turn against
~
thought to where our comrade stood and
hence he early felt the arm OF this grea1
president leaning upon him for support Long
before Aug. IL, 1861. the date of his promo
ton to brigadieF general, he was in command
of the Home Guards Of Louisville, and other
irregular troops, maneuyering to check the
advance of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson across
the Ohio He commanded brigade in the
seige of Corinth a division at the battles
Of Stone River, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga,
Mission Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church
and in the marches and skirmishes preceding
the battle of Atlanta, and a division of cav
airy at the battle of Nashville. No superior
officer of the commands Of which his brigade
and divisions formed a part has even ut
tered a word of censure, either as to his con-
duct or his judgment. and his gallantry.
conduct and skill on many fields has been
commended by Gems. Rosecrans and Thomas.
commanders Of the lcoEps and armies in which
he served. The positions to which he was
assigned by his superaors and the duties de-
volved upon hime,were of such responsibility
that any serious failure on his part was La
bic to affect the liberties of all men and
impair and possibly destroy the institutions
of his country. No serious disaster ever be-
fell the army or theycountry where he was
on duty. u
We his comrades in common with all the
OF his tomb join in The acclaim, ''WeIl done.
good and faithful servant"
Resolved, That copy of the foregoing
memorial be transmitted to the widow and
members of the 3famify of the deceased. and
also to the Minn&sotSlHistorical society. and
to the Office Of Ithe adjutant general of the
army. - 4
John B. sanborn,
II. NJ. Newport
u