Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/684

642 General Albert Sidney Johnston was born February 3, 1803, at Washington, Kentucky, in descent maternally from the pioneers of that State. His father, Dr. John Johnston, the village physician, was a native of Connecticut. He was "a handsome, proud, manly, earnest and self-reliant boy," "grave and thoughtful. After studying at the Transylvania university he was appointed to the national military academy, where he was, graduated in 1826, and promoted to a lieutenancy in the Second infantry. Subsequently he served as adjutant of the Sixth regiment; won distinction in the Black Hawk war; and resigned his commission in 1834. In 1835 occurred the death of his wife, Henrietta Preston, whom he had married six years before, and in 1836 he enlisted as a private in the military forces of Texas, then struggling for independence. Here he rose speedily in rank to brigadier-general and succeeded General Houston as commander-in-chief. In 1839 he was secretary of war of Texas, and expelled the hostile Cherokees after two battles on the River Neches. In 1846 he entered the Mexican war as colonel of the First Texas infantry, he came inspector general of Butler's division, and was recommended by General Taylor for promotion to brigadier-general for his conduct at Monterey. After one campaign he retired to a plantation in Brazoria county, Texas, and remained in seclusion until appointed paymaster with the rank of major, by President Taylor, in October, 1849. From President Pierce he received a commission as colonel of the Second cavalry, U. S. A., and in 1857 he conducted the famous military expedition to Utah, saving the army from frightful disaster by his prudence and executive ability. He remained in command in Utah until the summer of 1860, and in December of that year was assigned to the command of the department of California. As soon as he was informed of the secession of Texas he resigned his commission, but honorably concealed his action and continued to carry out the orders of the United