JOHN'STON, ALBERT SIDNEY (1803-132). An American soldier, prominent on the Confederate side in the Civil War. Ile was born at Wash ington, Ky., February 3, 1803; graduated at West Point in 1826, and was assigned to the Second United States Infantry. He fought in the Black Hawk War, but resigned from the army, April 24, Mt. and emigrated. to Texas. In 1336 he joined in the struggle for Texan inde pendence. enlisting as a trooper. but was soon made adjutant-general and then commander of the Texan Army. In 1833 he was appointed ;secretary of War of the young Republic, and displayed political wisdom and military ability in dealing with Mexican and 'Indian encroach ments. Ile resigned his office early in 1840 and became a planter.
When the Mexican War broke out, he became colonel of the First Regiment of Foot Riflemen of Texas. six months' volunteers, and was pres ent at the siege of 'Alonterey as inspector-general on the staff of Gen. W. 0. Butler. After some years of retirement, lie was appointed paymaster, in 1349, and colonel of the Second (since Fifth) United States Cavalry. in 1855. In 1857, the Mormons having defied the United States author ity, a militaiT expedition was sent against them. At a late period in the Fumme• the :Mormons began actual hostilities against the Government, destroying its supply train and threatening its troops. In an emergency. the command was transferred to Colonel Johnston. whose march to Utah was conducted with rare judgment and courage. "Ilis command" (two regiments of regular infantry and one of cavalry) "and their subsistence, clothing, and means of erecting shelter were stretched over nearly 1000 miles of almost desert road between Fort Kearney and Salt Lake. So late in the season had the troops started on their march that fears were enter tained that if they succeeded in reaching their destination. it would be only by abandoning the treater part of their supplies and endanger ing the lives of many men amid the snows of the Rocky Mountains." ( Fitz John Porter.) Johnston
converted an impending calamity into a solution without bloodshed of a serious military and po litieal problem. For these services he was brevet ted brigadier-general, remaining in command in Utah until February 29, 1360. At the outbreak of the Civil War General Johnston was in com mand of the Department of the Pacific, with headquarters at San Francisco, but April 10, 1301, he resigned his commission, and, proceeding to Richmond. entered the service of the Con federacy. being general and placed in command of the Confederate forces in the \Vest. lie held the line of Bowling Green. Ky., from September. 1361, to February, 1862, against greatly superior forces. On the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson (q.v.) in February, he ef fected his retreat through middle Tennessee to Corinth, :Miss., where lie assembled the entire force under his command east of the _Mississippi. Advancing with his army, 40.000 strong, he at tacked Grant's army at Shiloh Church unex pectedly on April 6, 1862, and drove him to the cover of his gunboats at Pittsburg Landing. cap turing more than 3000 prisoners. At this critical point General Johnston was killed while leading a charge, and a hill ensued in the battle. A few hours later General Beauregard, who succeeded to the command, withdrew the Confederate troops from their advanced positiim, and Generals Buell and Lew Wallace coming up with reiiinforcements for Grant during the night, the battle was re newed the next day and Beamegard was forced to fall back to Corinth. General Johnston was regarded by prominent officers of both armies as one of the most aggressive and brilliant of the Confederate leaders, and at the time of his death as unsurpassed in handling large bodies of 111C11 in action. Consult the exhaustive biography, Life of Albert Sidney Johnston (New York, 1873). by his son, W. P. Johnston.