JOHNSTON, JOSEPH ECCLESTON, an American gen., b. Prince Edward co. Va., 1807; graduated at the military academy, West Point, in 1829; was engaged in gar rison duty and as aide to gen. Scott in the Seminole war- until 1837, when he resigned Lis commission and became a civil engineer, but re-entered the army in July, 1838, as first lieut. of topographical engineers; and brevetted rapt. for gallantry in the Florida After this, until the commencement of the Mexican war, he was eno-ag,ed in river and harbor improvements, and occupied with various surveys of the boundaries between the United States and the British possessions. In the Mexican war, 1846-47, he served with distinction, was twice wounded, and was brevetted inaj., lieuteol., and col. In 1853-55 he had charge of western river improvements, and afterwards was engaged in various duties in Utah, Kansas, and elsewhere. In June, 1860, he was appointed quarter-master-gen., with the rank of brig.gen. April 22, 1861, he resigned his com mission, and was appointed maj.gen or gen. in the rebel service by Jefferson Davis. In Slay he commanded a force at Harper's Ferry-, where lie was opposed by gen. Pat terson. Moving on to iNlanasses he formed a junction with Beauregard. In the early part of the campaign of 1862 he had command of all the confederate forces in Virginia, and at the battle a Fair Oaks, near Richmond, May 31, 1862, was severely wounded, and for several months disabled for service. On duty in Nov. he was assigned, notwithstanding the hostility of Jefferson Davis, to'Alie military department of Tennessee. In April, 1863, he reported himself still unfit for active service. In the spring following he made an attempt,to relieve Vicksburg, which was besieged by Grant, but was defeated at Jackson, May 14, and retreated to Canton. • After the defeat of
Bragg by gen. Grant at Chattanooga, Nov. 25,1863, Johnston was put in command of all the forces of the s.w. With 55,000 men he first occupied the fortified position of Dalton, Ga. Gen. Slierman attacked him with a superior force, and he was obliged to back first to Resaca, thence, after a severe battle, to Altoona pass, to Kenesaw mountain, and across the Chattahoochee. Gen. Sherman threatening his line of com munication with Atlanta, his base of supply, and a place of great military importance, -Johnston reached Atlanta in 'July, and determined to hold it to the last. But the -authorities at Richmond were dissatisfied, and, July 17, ordered him to turn over his 'command to gen. Hood. Near the close of Feb., 1865, after Sherman had captured Atlanta, and marched without opposition to Savannah and into South Carolina, John ston, at the earnest request of gen. Lee, was assigned to the command of the remnant of the army of the Tennessee, and of all the troops in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and "to concentrate all available forces and drive back Sherman." Bat his force being inferior to that of Sherman lie was defeated at Bentonville, N. C. Having learned that Lee had surrendered the army of Virginia to Grant, he capitulated to Sherman at Dur liatn's station, N. C. Since the close of the war he has resided at Savannah, actively engaged in agricultural, commercial, and railroad enterprises. lie has been considered -one of the ablest generals, and by some the ablest in the confederate service. In 1878 he was proposed as a candidate for the U. S. senate from Georgia. He has published at Narrative of His Military Operations during the war.