The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-23
BRAVE SOLDIER
ANSWERS GALL |. |.
Major John W. Johnston Passed
Away Sunday
Night.
CAREER Of USEFULNESS
Had Done Much for the Material
Advancement Of the
South.

Major John w. Johnston, prominent
Confederate veteran, who did much since
the war for the development Of the
South, died at 10 p NJ. Sunday at
his residence, No. l1a East Grace Street.
Major Johnston has for months been In
failing. health, and the end, none the
less dreaded. was not unexpected. His
children were at his bedside during the
last hours, and the sympathy OF the
community will go out to them.
Major Johnston was born al Buchanan,
Botctourt county, Va. on tho 9th OF
July, 1889, and was. therefore, nearly
sixty-six years Of age. lie was a yon OF
John Nash Johnston. OF Botctourt coun-
ty, and the grandson OF Edward john
ston. and was related 10 General Joseph
L. Johnston and the late United States
i Senator j. w. Johnston and to others of
that distinguished family. His child
hood. youth and early manhood were
spent in HIS native county, on the banks
Of the Upper James.
Major Johnston, as he afterwards be-
came. had Just attained his majority
when the great struggle for the inde-
pendencc OF the Southern States began.
and with all the ardor of his temporal
ment he embraced the cause OF his native,
State and Of the South. cnlisting in
company, III the TWenty-eighth Vir-
d gfnia Regiment, afterwards Anderson's
battery OF light artillery, May Is. 1857.
and was made second lieutenant and al
forwards promoted to first lieutenant.
"A little later he was made captain OF
q the company. He then became connected
with the I3otetourt Light Artillery Of.
which he was captain This battery was
ordered TO the far South, and thereafter
the young nrtillerlst served to the close
OF the war In Mississippi and Tennessee
and other Southern States.
Was Before Vicksburg.
The merits Of the young officer and
his zeal for Tho cause soon resulted In
I his selection as captain and Inspector
4 general OF artillery on the staff OF Major
General C. J.. Stevenson, and he saw
s service In the various battles In which
that command was engaged. He was on
duty in the defense of VicEsburg during
May. June and July. 1863 Thereafter he
was promoted to major. commanding
Johnston's battalion of light artillery, at
tached to the Army OF Tennessee He
served In the campaigns In Mississippi.
Alabama. Tennessee and Georgia With
conspicuous fidelity and gallantry. and
continued the struggle until after the
Il surrender mt Appomattox, and did not
himsef surrender until May !. 1865. when
n he was paroled at Greensboro. n. c.,
along with the remnant OF his command.
& Few men in The Confederate service de-
voted themselves to Its ausc for j longer,
a period than did Major Johnston. whose
service was three years. eleven and n
half months, or from May Is, 1861. until.
May ], 1865, Before he was twenty-six
years OF age he had attained the rank,
Of major Of artillery. and had held man.!
responsible positions in the service.
Major Johnston held the presidency
OF the James River and Kanawba Canal,
Company from 1877 to 1880 and also that
OF the buchanan and Clifton Forge Rail-
way Company, and in the years 1850 and
1851 he was resident counsel In the State
OF Virginia for the Richmond and ALLIE.
ghany Railroad Company. fter that he
d became extensively engaged in railroad
direction. being made vice. president and
general manager Of the Richmond and:
Danville Extension Company. and vice.
president OF the Georgia. Pacific Railroad
Y Company In 1ss1-'2. In the latter year
!. he was made president Of the Georgla
Pacific Railroad Company, and served
in that capacity until 1883. From 1889 TO
1899 he was fourth vice-president and
later third vice-nresident OF the Rich
nond and Danville Railroad Company.
3 From 1892 to 1891 he was general man
Z agcr of the Gray National Telautogrnph
Company.
4 Major Johnston had begun his legal
education a the famous law school OF
Judge Brockenbrough In Lexing lon, where
many OF the foremost men at the Vir-
ginia bar received their training, He
left school to enter the Forty.eighth
Regiment Of Virginia Infantry.
Accepting the situation, as did thou
sands OF other young Southern men. the
young soldier devoted himself to the study
OF law and began the practice OF his pro-
fession In his native county. His abili-
ties and his energy soon brought him
to the front not only ut the bar, hut in
public life, being elected to the Senate
1t Virginia. He served two or three
Terms in that body and took high rank
,n,ong the brilliant men composing It at
hat time.
President Of Canal Company.
In the early 7o's Major Johnston was
q Il is~-~