Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-16

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 lanta received a new com mander late in December, 1863. This was General Joseph E. Johnston, a new figure on western battlefields. Wound ed in front of Richmond the summer of 1862, Johnston had been sent to the Mississippi region as general in chief over three departments, including the army defending Vicksburg under Penn berton, the army then operating in Tennessee under Bragg and the forces marshaied under the Lone Star flag beyond the great river. Fixing his headquarters nominally at Chattanoo- ga, he moved from place to place, with. out. however, taking active leadership in any battle.
 Under Johnston, Bragg fought the great battles of Stone River, Chicka- manga and Chattanooga. Under him. also. Pemberton fought and lost at yicksburg. Yet his name does not ap- pear in the histories of these combats except by mere incidental mention in. connection with Vicksburg. For some reason the Confederate executive and General Johnston didn't get on well to- gether. The general chafed over being kept from actual contact with the fight ing forces He had been an active sol dier on the plains before the war and wanted to be at the front, sword in hand, instead of merely manipulating movements from the rear.
 Although it was step backward to give up the control of three armies and take command of one, Johnston put his hand to the new task with whole heart ed energy. Grant said that he was a man to give his foemen trouble and that his policy was the correct one for the south at that stage of the con fict. He believed in taking no risks and in prolonging the war until the north was tired out His plan was to let the Yankees force the fighting while the south parried the blows and hus banded her strength. By these same tactics George Washington won the < Revolution }
 Grants high opinion' of the military ability of his opponent in front of Chattanooga illustrates a peculiar phase Of military experience Johnston was. distrusted by his own government and rested under a cloud when he succeed ed Bragg after the latter's ~inglorious retreat from Mission Ridge and joined the defeated army at Dalton Yicks- burg and Chattanooga had been lost to his department, wrested from his con trol by Grant.
 The loss of Vicksburg was laid at 5 Johnston's door by Jefferson Davis. o nk.d TOI1 Ssfo by while Grant surrounded and .penned in the Vicksburg garrison under Penn berton. On one particular occasion, be- < fore Grant had brought up all his troops and hemmed Pemberton in, Da- wis said that Johnston sent Pemberton j orders in writing to attack the foe and cut his way out when he should have gone in person to Pemberton and di- rrected the fight. Johnston said that he sent the order in writing because he was preparing to lead an attack in per- son from the outside of Grants lines while Pemberton drove at the same point from the inside. Pemberton re cefved the written order and put his. troops in motion to carry it out, then suddenly changed his mind and attack q GQ LII duOlueE ulEGCIlOu, Ialll1S III LuS attempt and losing Johnston's aid.
 The weapon placed in Johnston's } hand to keep the Army of the Tennes- see out of Atlanta was in battered condition just at the time he took hold of 1t, Dec. 27. 1868 It had lost 25,0Oo men in battle during the three months campaign ending Nov. 9 at Mission Ridge. The rolls showed fighting strength of 36.0o0 men. but 6,00O of these were barefoot and 6,O00 without muskets and blankets. There was lack of forage for the animals, and the battery horses were too feeble to draw the guns,
 Johnston found awaiting him at Chattanooga headquarters very pointed hint from President Davis in Richmond that he immediately make a dash into Tennessee and recover the ground lost by his predecessor. He did not act upon the suggestion for the reason that his army was not in condi- ton to cope against odds, and he thought the best plan would be to stand at Dalton until the Federass at tacked him there. He hoped to beat them and send them back to Tennessee. when he would follow and recover the territory.