JOHNSON, RICHARD W. ( 1S27-97 ) . An American soldier. born in Kentucky. He grad uated at West Point in 1849, and up to the time of the Civil War was employed chiefly on frontier service. In 1861 he was commissioned colonel of the Third Kentucky Cavalry, and soon afterwards was made a brigadier-general of vol unteers. He took part as a cavalry commander in the western campaigns of 1861 and 1862, and on August 21st of the latter year was defeated and captured by Col. John 11. Morgan, whom lie had been sent to drive out of Tennessee. In the battle of Murfreesboro he commanded a divi sion. At Chickamauga ;his division formed part of the command of General Thomas, and it was one of those which during the battle of Chat tanooga charged up the heights of Missionary Ridge. The next year he commanded a division in the Army of the Cumberland during the inva sion of Georgia, and was severely wounded at the battle of New Hope Church (May 28, 1861). On August 22d of that year he was made chief of cavalry of the Military Division of the Missis sippi. He commanded a cavalry division at the
battle of Nashville, and on the second day was given the brevet rank of major-general of volun teers, supplemented on March 13. 1865. by the brevet rank of brigadier-general in the Regular Army, and on the same day he was brevetted major-general in the Regular Army for `gallant and meritorious service; during the war! lie was mustered out of the volunteer service on January 15, l866, and became provost marshal general of the military division of the Tennessee, and later acting judge-advocate in various mili tary departments. Ile resigned in 1867 with the rank of major-general, which, by an act of Con gress, March 3, 1875, was changed to that of brigadier-general. Ile published A Soldier's Remi niscences in Peace and War (1866), and a Mem oir of .1Iajor-General George II. Thomas (1881).