Johnston, JOSEPH EGGLESTON

Johnston, JOSEPH EGGLESTON, an American general, was born in Virginia, 3d February 1807. His mother was a niece of Patrick Henry. He graduated at West Point in 1829, fought in the Seminole war, became captain of engineers in 1846, served with great gallantry in the war with Mexico, where he was wounded at Cerro Gordo—he received altogether ten wounds in the three wars he was engaged in—and in 1860 was commissioned quartermaster-general, with the rank of brigadier-general. He resigned in 1861 to enter the Confederate service, and was appointed brigadier-general and given the command of the Army of the Shenandoah; in August he was made full general. He came to the assistance of Beauregard at the first battle of Bull Run, but waived his claim to precedence, and left him in command. In 1862 he was for several months disabled by a wound received at Seven Pines, while opposing McClellan. In 1863, with a weak force, he failed in an endeavour to relieve Vicksburg. He commanded the force directed to oppose Sherman's advance towards Atlanta, in 1864, and stubbornly contested his progress; he was steadily driven back, however, and in July was relieved of his command. He was again placed in command by General Lee in February 1865, and ordered to 'drive back Sherman'; but he had only a fourth of the Northern general's strength, and after a last vigorous resistance at Bentonville, in March, and after learning of Lee's surrender, he accepted the same terms on 26th April. General Johnston afterwards engaged in railway and insurance business, and was elected to congress by Richmond in 1877. He was appointed United States commis- sioner of railroads by President Cleveland. He died 21st March 1891. See his Narrative of Military Operations (1874), and Lives of him by Johnson (1891) and R. M. Hughes ('Great Commanders' series).