Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/196

176 told in the preceding pages. Acting first as major, he became lieutenant-colonel after First Manassas, and colonel in March, 1862. During the famous Valley campaign under Stonewall Jackson the ability of Johnson as a commanding officer was abundantly manifested, and in general orders his name received most honorable mention. On the right flank of McClellan before Richmond he gallantly led his Marylanders to victory at Games' Mill, and during the night of terror and apprehension following the fight at Malvern Hill he kept vigil among the dead and dying until dawn revealed that McClellan had withdrawn to the protection of his fleet. Subsequently, while recruiting at Charlottesville, it was deemed expedient by the Confederate war department to disband the gallant regiment, and Colonel Johnson was left without command. He then readily yielded to the invitation of Generals Jackson and Ewell to accompany them in the operations of August, 1862. During Jackson's brilliant movement to the vicinity of Manassas Junction, Colonel Johnson was assigned to the command of the Virginia brigade of Gen. J. R. Jones, temporarily absent by reason of sickness. After the capture of Manassas Junction, while Hill moved in the direction of Centerville, and Ewell held the railroad line at Bristoe station, Johnson took position at Groveton, a few miles south of the famous stone bridge over Bull run, to resist the advance of Pope. This important service he successfully performed until Taliaferro had come up and Jackson's forces were united. The sanguinary battle of the 28th followed, leaving the armies substantially on the old lines of July, 1861, but with positions reversed. On the 29th, after repeated assaults on the Confederate left under Hill, the attack was made on Johnson's line, which connected with Hill's right. Permitting the enemy to enter the edge of the woods in which he was stationed he gave command to fire and then to charge, and hurled the Federals back to their original position, bringing off two pieces of artillery. In this crisis he acted