The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-18

r. Johnston was brought here on the
evening Of the 3lst Of May, 1852, after
being stricken do II Y two severe
wounds at the close OF the battle of
Seven Pines, always as LIvy said Of
Hannibal, the frs: to go into fight
and the last to come out
He had just told his staff that the
troops would sleep where they stood,
and had resolved . renew the attack
the next morning OR right had won
a great triumph General Johnston
had placed three divisions forming
his right wing under Longstreets i'm F.,
mediate command with orders to at
tack carly in the morning. \ great
rainfall during the night Of the goth
had rendered the roads and fields
almost impossible, But at last Long
street gave the order to move. and
d H. Hin dashed forward with his
division and two Of I4pngstreets's bri-
gades knee-deep in mud in one of
the most brilliant attacks of the war.
driving Casey's rivislon before him,
storming formidable redoubt and
turning it's captured guns on the
broken eneI, y.
Then our left under G. w. Stt,i,h
at last hearing Hills musketry, be-
came hotly engaged and held is
ground till night with large reserves
slfathad not drawn trigger, which
was also true OF the right. So John
ston was convinced that he would
fight the battle of the next day with
the chances largely in his favor and
might confidently hope for crown
ing victory.
But this was not to be. The hest
tation incident to the loss of the
commander made the list of June
day of inaction, and, upon Cen
eral Lees assumption OF the commend
in the afternoon. The Confederates
were ordered back to their original
position.
Carried Army TO FIXTURE Triumph.
a great career now opened before
Lee aud his peerless army But have
heard ID. III. Hf and other distin-
euished officers say that the brilliant
feat Of arms Of our right at Seven
Pines was decisive in inspiring that as
anrance of invincibIlity which carried
the Army of Northern Virginia to
its future triumphs.
General Johnston did not recover
! from his wounds till the November
following A less robust frame would
i perhaps have succumbed but he had
great strength and activity. and was
| the image OF a vigorous mind in a
/ healthy body. All his early surround
/ ings had tended to make of him
an inspiring and hardy soldier. His
/ fathers distinguished service In the
/ Revolution as a favorite lieutenant
! of Light Horse Harry Lee and the in
cidents Of our last war with England
and Of Napoleon's battles were the
/ household tales OF his boyhood. AS
| once wrote. the generals father and
! hr " nF
/ ability and culture. and the intel
/ lectual and moral trainings he re-
ceived at home was no bad prepare
/ ton for a great career. In that circle
/ the best that had been said and
! done In the world" was often read
! about and discussed. 1t was there
| the general got his love for some
| Of the great masterpieces Of litera-
I ture. He became great enthusiast
about Homer The old soldier talked
I about the heroes Of tie Had as if he
! had fought at their sides Doomed
| was his favorite
/ 1t was the heroic fibre in him that
/ was strung into tension at every con-
1 tact with greatness IN fiction or his
I tory. He had a definite image In
/ his minds eye Of gerry soldier who
/ had played a great part In the world
and he talked about each one. from
! Alexander TO Napoleon. with criticism
/ as discriminating and feelings as deep
as contemporaries would have called
/ forth.
! He Never Forgavc MacCauiey.
Hence he never forgave MacCauley
/ for blackening Marlborough, or Ian
I frey and the radical school for be-
/ lifting Napoleon. There was never
n soldier perhaps. who delighted more
/ in the habitual contemplation of the
! great examples of military conduct
/ which fiji the annals Of war, and ma
tire had so endowed him, in sheart
/ and soul and body that he was fit to
be moulded by such examples .
/ The training OF West Point. his sub
/ sequent careful study of wha. was
greatest literature and especially the
! lessons he learned in the schoo; Of
4 theforemost soldiers OF the world y
| hist ory--these labors and he practical
/ teaching OF SCOTS fine sampign in
| Mexico made him at the beginning Of
! the war Of 81 one Of the most promis-
ing commanders. who at the stern
/ behest OF duty offer q their swords
/ TO the Confederacy.
/ The Mexican War, interesting IN
I itself for the light it throws on the
| performance OF volunteers must
/ always be studied as Che training
school of the principal officers who
/ afterwards rose to high command In
I the War Between the States
{ The Mexican record not only pointed
out I'm 1861 the men fit to lead, bur this
singular result followed that the COM
mander Of each army and most of his
! important subordinates knew exactly
/ In advance what conduct 10 expect
| from the leader OF the opposing force
Johnston emerged from that war
with a reputation for y!sor. forecast
! and vsAlar .sacon1 only 10 Robert Lees
have said that General John
s.on was not able to return to duty