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Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was a career United States Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865). He was unrelated to Albert Sidney Johnston, another high-ranking Confederate general in the Western Theater during the Civil War, who was killed in early 1862.
Johnston was trained as a civil engineer at the United States Military Academy on the Hudson River at West Point, New York, graduating in the same class as Robert E. Lee. He served in Florida, Texas, and Kansas, and fought with distinction in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and by 1860 achieved the rank of brigadier general as Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army. When his native state of Virginia declared secession from the Union after the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, South Carolina in April 1861, Johnston resigned his U.S. commission and became the highest-ranking American army officer to join the southern Confederacy. To his dismay, however, he was appointed only the fourth ranking full general in the Confederate States Army.
Johnston's effectiveness in the American Civil War was undercut by tensions with Confederate president Jefferson Davis, who often criticized him for a lack of aggressiveness, and victory eluded him in most campaigns he personally commanded. However, he was the senior Confederate commander at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, and his recognition of the important necessary actions, and prompt application of leadership in that victory is usually credited to his subordinate, P. G. T. Beauregard.
He defended the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, withdrawing under the pressure of a superior force under Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. In his only offensive action during the campaign, he suffered a severe wound at the Battle of Seven Pines, after which he was replaced in command by his classmate at West Point, Robert E. Lee.
In 1863, in command of the Department of the West, he was criticized for his inaction and failure[1] in the Vicksburg Campaign. In 1864, he fought against Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in the Atlanta Campaign. Facing an enemy with a massive numerical advantage, Johnston's strategy was to strategically withdraw whenever it was necessary to avoid being surrounded or cut off from his supply lines, while looking for the right opportunity to make a defensive stand. Although he won a minor victory against Sherman at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, the opportunity to make a decisive stand that could turn back the Union tide never came. Fed up with Johnston's constant withdrawal from Confederate territory, Davis relieved him of command after he withdrew from northwest Georgia to the outskirts of the city.
In the final days of the war, he was returned to command of the small remaining forces in the Carolinas Campaign. Following a failed attempt to stall Sherman's advance at the Battle of Bentonville, he surrendered his armies to Sherman at Bennett Place near Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, 1865. Two of his major opponents, General Ulysses S. Grant and Sherman, made comments highly respectful of his actions in the war, and they became close friends with Johnston in subsequent years.
After the war, Johnston was an executive in the railroad and insurance businesses. He served a single term as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives and was commissioner of railroads under Grover Cleveland. He died of pneumonia contracted after serving as a pallbearer (in inclement weather) at the funeral of his former adversary, and later friend, William T. Sherman.
Johnston was trained as a civil engineer at the United States Military Academy on the Hudson River at West Point, New York, graduating in the same class as Robert E. Lee. He served in Florida, Texas, and Kansas, and fought with distinction in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and by 1860 achieved the rank of brigadier general as Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army. When his native state of Virginia declared secession from the Union after the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, South Carolina in April 1861, Johnston resigned his U.S. commission and became the highest-ranking American army officer to join the southern Confederacy. To his dismay, however, he was appointed only the fourth ranking full general in the Confederate States Army.
Johnston's effectiveness in the American Civil War was undercut by tensions with Confederate president Jefferson Davis, who often criticized him for a lack of aggressiveness, and victory eluded him in most campaigns he personally commanded. However, he was the senior Confederate commander at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, and his recognition of the important necessary actions, and prompt application of leadership in that victory is usually credited to his subordinate, P. G. T. Beauregard.
He defended the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, withdrawing under the pressure of a superior force under Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. In his only offensive action during the campaign, he suffered a severe wound at the Battle of Seven Pines, after which he was replaced in command by his classmate at West Point, Robert E. Lee.
In 1863, in command of the Department of the West, he was criticized for his inaction and failure[1] in the Vicksburg Campaign. In 1864, he fought against Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in the Atlanta Campaign. Facing an enemy with a massive numerical advantage, Johnston's strategy was to strategically withdraw whenever it was necessary to avoid being surrounded or cut off from his supply lines, while looking for the right opportunity to make a defensive stand. Although he won a minor victory against Sherman at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, the opportunity to make a decisive stand that could turn back the Union tide never came. Fed up with Johnston's constant withdrawal from Confederate territory, Davis relieved him of command after he withdrew from northwest Georgia to the outskirts of the city.
In the final days of the war, he was returned to command of the small remaining forces in the Carolinas Campaign. Following a failed attempt to stall Sherman's advance at the Battle of Bentonville, he surrendered his armies to Sherman at Bennett Place near Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, 1865. Two of his major opponents, General Ulysses S. Grant and Sherman, made comments highly respectful of his actions in the war, and they became close friends with Johnston in subsequent years.
After the war, Johnston was an executive in the railroad and insurance businesses. He served a single term as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives and was commissioner of railroads under Grover Cleveland. He died of pneumonia contracted after serving as a pallbearer (in inclement weather) at the funeral of his former adversary, and later friend, William T. Sherman.
Joseph E. Johnston - Wikipedia
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Thanks Maj Marty Hogan for letting us know that February 3 is the anniversary of the birth of career United States Army officer who served with distinction in the Mexican-American War where he was wounded at the battle of Cerro Gordo and Mexico City (1846-1848) and then in Seminole Wars Joseph Eggleston Johnston. He resigned as a BG in 1861 and then became one of the most senior general officers [initially 4th highest in CSA and after A.S. Johnson he was 3rd highest in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
He graduated from USMA, West Point in 1829 as graduate number #553. His classmates included Robert E. Lee, brevet MG James Barnes [wounded at Gettysburg], MG Ormsby Mitchell who died of Yellow Fever in 1862 while serving as commander of 10th Corps; MG Benjamin Brice and CSA LTG Theophilus Holms.
Rest in peace Joseph Eggleston Johnston
Images:
1. 1861-08-31 CSA Generals Samuel Cooper, Albert Sidney Johnston, Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, and P.G.T. Beauregard;
2. 1865-04-18_Johnston-and-Sherman-Meet-at-Bennett-House;
3. 05-25-1865 Sherman tries to turn Johnston's left flank New Hope Dallas
Background from {[http://civilwarintheeast.com/things/rank-of-general-in-the-confederate-states-army/}]
"When the Confederate States Army was first established its highest rank was brigadier general. It quickly became apparent that the large size of the armies being created would need larger units and higher ranks to command them.
On May 16, 1861 the Confederate Congress authorized the rank of full General for five officers. This would be the highest rank established for the Confederate Army.
On August 31, 1861 President Davis submitted to Congress a list of the five men to be given the rank of General. He also provided the dates their rank were to be effective, which established seniority for the officers.
Samuel Cooper – May 16
Albert Sidney Johnston – May 30
Robert E. Lee – June 14
Joseph E. Johnston – July 4
Pierre G.T. Beauregard – July 21
Joseph Johnston immediately wrote an angry 1800 word letter to President Davis arguing that since he had been the highest ranking United States Army officer to resign and joint the Confederacy he should be the highest ranking Confederate officer.
Davis replied with a stiff two sentence rebuke. His reasoning was that Johnston’s high rank as Quartermaster General in the U.S. Army – a position which Davis had helped him obtain – was a staff position. Davis’ decision in the ranking of the seniority of the generals was based on their ranking in line command in the Old Army. The issue poisoned the relationship between the two men from that point on.
Albert Sidney Johnston was mortally wounded at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6, 1862. On April 12 Braxton Bragg was promoted to General, taking Johnston’s place. Bragg was relieved of his army command by Joseph E. Johnston in February of 1864 but retained his rank in his new position as military advisor to President Davis in Richmond.
On July 18, 1864 John Bell Hood was given the temporary rank of General when he took over the Army of Tennessee from Joseph Johnston. When he asked to be relieved on January 23, 1865 he reverted to lieutenant general."
From civilwarintheeast.com/things/rank-of-general-in-the-confederate-states-army/
"The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May 1864, opposed by the Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston's Army of Tennessee withdrew toward Atlanta in the face of successive flanking maneuvers by Sherman's group of armies. In July, the Confederate president replaced Johnston with the more aggressive John Bell Hood, who began challenging the Union Army in a series of damaging frontal assaults. Hood's army was eventually besieged in Atlanta and the city fell on September 2, setting the stage for Sherman's March to the Sea and hastening the end of the war."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZEs107oFnM
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Robert George SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see)
He graduated from USMA, West Point in 1829 as graduate number #553. His classmates included Robert E. Lee, brevet MG James Barnes [wounded at Gettysburg], MG Ormsby Mitchell who died of Yellow Fever in 1862 while serving as commander of 10th Corps; MG Benjamin Brice and CSA LTG Theophilus Holms.
Rest in peace Joseph Eggleston Johnston
Images:
1. 1861-08-31 CSA Generals Samuel Cooper, Albert Sidney Johnston, Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, and P.G.T. Beauregard;
2. 1865-04-18_Johnston-and-Sherman-Meet-at-Bennett-House;
3. 05-25-1865 Sherman tries to turn Johnston's left flank New Hope Dallas
Background from {[http://civilwarintheeast.com/things/rank-of-general-in-the-confederate-states-army/}]
"When the Confederate States Army was first established its highest rank was brigadier general. It quickly became apparent that the large size of the armies being created would need larger units and higher ranks to command them.
On May 16, 1861 the Confederate Congress authorized the rank of full General for five officers. This would be the highest rank established for the Confederate Army.
On August 31, 1861 President Davis submitted to Congress a list of the five men to be given the rank of General. He also provided the dates their rank were to be effective, which established seniority for the officers.
Samuel Cooper – May 16
Albert Sidney Johnston – May 30
Robert E. Lee – June 14
Joseph E. Johnston – July 4
Pierre G.T. Beauregard – July 21
Joseph Johnston immediately wrote an angry 1800 word letter to President Davis arguing that since he had been the highest ranking United States Army officer to resign and joint the Confederacy he should be the highest ranking Confederate officer.
Davis replied with a stiff two sentence rebuke. His reasoning was that Johnston’s high rank as Quartermaster General in the U.S. Army – a position which Davis had helped him obtain – was a staff position. Davis’ decision in the ranking of the seniority of the generals was based on their ranking in line command in the Old Army. The issue poisoned the relationship between the two men from that point on.
Albert Sidney Johnston was mortally wounded at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6, 1862. On April 12 Braxton Bragg was promoted to General, taking Johnston’s place. Bragg was relieved of his army command by Joseph E. Johnston in February of 1864 but retained his rank in his new position as military advisor to President Davis in Richmond.
On July 18, 1864 John Bell Hood was given the temporary rank of General when he took over the Army of Tennessee from Joseph Johnston. When he asked to be relieved on January 23, 1865 he reverted to lieutenant general."
From civilwarintheeast.com/things/rank-of-general-in-the-confederate-states-army/
"The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May 1864, opposed by the Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston's Army of Tennessee withdrew toward Atlanta in the face of successive flanking maneuvers by Sherman's group of armies. In July, the Confederate president replaced Johnston with the more aggressive John Bell Hood, who began challenging the Union Army in a series of damaging frontal assaults. Hood's army was eventually besieged in Atlanta and the city fell on September 2, setting the stage for Sherman's March to the Sea and hastening the end of the war."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZEs107oFnM
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Robert George SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see)
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