The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-19
JOSEPH Z. JOHNSTON
THE VERY GOD OF WAR;

III August. 1910, I was requested ly
Mrs Thomas IIardaway, president OF
the United Daughters of he Confed-
tiracy. OF Amelia cunts Va. 10 write
IN extended sketch Of General Joln-
stor's LIE. l submit II now withou,
comment. ana hope It will serve the
laudable purposc she has III View.
General Johnston was born in Vir-
sinia. February. 1907. Died al his
residence, Washington, ID. O., March
Il, 1881. What Of him shrink from
the task 70 portray the character or
such a man.
OF his early life before the war +
nno" very iittlc u vas spent in
FRINGE Edward and Washington coun-
tlcs, Virginia. urtti he was appointed
q cadet at West Point, graduating In
the class of 1929. The frs, time l
ever met General Johnston was In tn.
United states Quartermaster-Generars
office in the summer OF 1850. had
Just returned from the Pacific coast
and brought with nc letters from
prominent army officers ard politicians
Of California;, recommending mo fo-
promotion in the dnariarmaster's de-
partment. In October, 1851, / was
ordered to the Army OF Northern vsr-
sinia, General Johnston commanding.
y few days after I was appointed 10 q
position on his staff. From, that ting
20 the day CT his death ! was his de-
voted friend. The first time l ever sd
sltTn under fire was at Villa msburg.
lS62. Mounted on his celebrated road
stei, Sam Patch, he placed himself In
an open plateau where balls and shells
came thick and fast. apparently as
calm as a May morning. Let mo add
in passing that never by accident
while I was With him did he ever select
comfortable quarters on the Held OF
battle for himself or his staff. be-
1ieve 1t was Turenne who said: The
general who has never made mistakes
has mover made war" But / defy
any military man to point 0 u a mis-
take made by General Johnston on
the field OF battle. At williamsburg
he appeared to me the very God OF
War. Something about the distribu.
ton Of troops in Fort Magruder
seemed TO worry him. Turning in his
saddle and catching my eye he said:
Ride at once to the officer In com
nnnnd- OF those troops and tell him to
station them differently telling me
Just what he wanted. D~ismountins and
leading my horse by the bride, I crept
along under tho rarnparts until 7 found
tho officer III command, delivered the
message with which I was entrusted,
and did not stand on the order or leav-
ms that IRE pit. Early the next morn
t!1S we IOll w lltld lSOulk .t5.#3 ..t..4f
On our backward move to Richmond
| heard him say. The folly or sending
this army down the Peninsula Is only
cqua1led by our good fortune III get
ting away from there" He was un-
fortunately wounded at Seven Pines
when he had victory within his grasp.
HIS staff was transferred to that OF
General Lee. SIX months after. he re-
ported for duty, and on his applica-
ton I went back TO him, = few years
before his death--th!s to show the
modesty OF the mani told him the
greatest compliment ever paid to me
was by himself, when he applied for
me to rajoln his staff. He replied.
Not equal to yours to me. sir, when
you left Genera Lees staR for mine"
The geographical command to which
he was then assigned was big in name.
empty In reality. He looked moro like
9 Gagged lion than q man in command
Of two great armies. Tho geographical
command referred TO included Brags's
army ut Tullohorna. Tenn, II Penn