JOHNSTON, JOSEPH EGGLESTON, an American military officer; born in Cherry Grove, Va., Feb. 3, 1807; was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1829; greatly distinguished himself in the Florida and Mexican Wars; promoted quartermaster-general of the army with the rank of Brigadier General in June, 1860; resigned his com mission when Virginia seceded; made Major-General of Virginia Volunteers and later full general in the Confederate service; took an active part in the first battle of Bull Run where he personally led a charge with the colors of the 4th Alabama Regiment in his hands. Dur ing the autumn of 1861 he had a bitter controversy with Jefferson Davis, hold ing that inasmuch as he had outranked Cooper, Albert S. Johnston, and Robert E. Lee in the United States army he was entitled to do so in the Confederate army. On March 12, 1863, he was or dered to take immediate command of Bragg's army, but the condition of his health obliged him to decline the duty. In the operations of Grant before Vicks burg he strove to prevent Pemberton from allowing himself to be shut up in Vicksburg, telegraphing him May 2d: "If Grant crosses, unite all your troops to beat him. Success will give back
what was abandoned to win it." Again and again he sent similar orders to Pem berton, but they were disobeyed; Pem berton allowed himself to be shut up in Vicksburg, and the siege and surrender on July 4th followed. In December of the same year he took command of Bragg's army at Dalton, Ga., and by the spring of 1864 brought it to a state of efficiency which it had not had for a long time, though it contained only 45, 000 men against Sherman's 98,797. The campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, a dis tance of 100 miles, was a series of severe engagements without a general battle, and Johnston's friends claimed that "the retreat had been the masterpiece of Johnston's life, and one of the most skill ful and successful that had ever been executed." On July 17, 1864, Johnston was succeeded in this command by Gen eral Hood. After the war he engaged in business; was member of Congress in 1876-1878, and United States Commis sioner of Railways in 1885-1889. He died in Washington, D. C., March 21, 1891.