Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/143

 JOHNSTON

JOHNSTON

you can defeat or reptl him, j-ou are liereby re- lieved from the coiumaud of the Army and De- partment of Tennessee, which you will imme- diately turn over to General Hood." Johnston's reply stated that " Sherman's army is stronger, compared with the Army of Tennessee, tlian Grant's, compared with the Army of Northern Vir- ginia, yet the enemy has been compelled to ad- vance more slowly to the vicinity of Atlanta than to that of Riclimond and Petersburg, and has penetrated much deeper into Virginia than into Georgia." He immediately transferred his com- mand and communicated his plans to his suc- cessor, giving orders the next day which arrang- ed the troops in the positions selected by him. The feeling of disapproval of the removal of Johnston was shown by the cheering of his troops as they passed his lieadquarters. Hood, after several assaults upon Sherman, was driven out of Atlanta, and then undertook the inva- sion of Tennessee, and after the calamitous bat- tle of Nashville, he retired to private life. John- ston remained in retirement, first residing at Macon, Ga., and subsequently at Lincolnton, N.C., until Feb. 23, 1865, when General Lee, who had been appointed to the position of commander- in-chief of the Confederate army, assigned him to the command of the Army of Tennessee and all troops in the Department of South Caro- lina, Florida and Georgia. He at once began the organization of an army out of the scattered troops aggregating 16,000 men, which he con- centrated at Averysboro, N.C., in order to drive back Sherman who was at Cheraw, S.C., threat- ening Raleigh and Goldsboro, and if possible to form a junction with Lee. On March 16, 1865, Johnston transferred his headquarters to Fayette- ville, N.C.,and concentrated his troops at Ben- tonville. The Confederate force at Goldsboro under Bragg, when attacked by General Cox, checked the attack, inflicting great loss and sus- taining but little. The Federal cavalry under Kilpatrick were surprised by Hampton, who cap- tured the camp and released many prisoners. Johnston then decided on an assault on the Fed- eral left at Bentonville. The attack was made 3Iarch 19, Johnston commanding in person, and the Federals were driven into a pine wood. Sher- man, on hearing of the action, marched his right wing toward the firing and Johnston met it at Mill Creek with a thin line under General Hoke. On March 20 the entire Federal army was facing the Confederate army and several attacks were made, but were repulsed by the Confederates. Mower's division moved against the Confederate left on March 21, and broke through the line, but were repulsed by a countercharge of Cummings's Georgia brigade, a body of Texan cavalry, and Allen's Alabamians under General Wheeler, and

under this attack the Federals withdrew. The Confederate army subsequently withdrew to Smithfield and marched to Raleigh, liaving cap- tured many prisoners, and Sherman effected a junction with Schofield at Goldsboro and on April 10 commenced his march northward. At Battle's Bridge Joluiston heard from President Davis of the surrender of Lee. He immediately repaired to Greensboro, where, after a long inter- view with the President and attendance at a cabinet meeting, Johnston dispatched a letter to Sherman dictated b}^ Davis but signed by John- ston, proposing a suspension of hostilities and asking for an interview. This was granted and the meeting took place, April 17. It was the first time the two generals had met personally. Sher- man informed Johnston of the assassination of President Lincoln and proposed that Johnston should surrender on the terms granted to Lee. This Jolinston declined, as his army was not sur- rounded, but he proposed instead a permanent treaty of peace, which was approved by General Sherman. The papers were signed, April 18, 18G5, and were sent to the civil authorities, but were not approved at Washington. General Grant visited Sherman's headquarters, April 24, and on the 26tli Sherman and Johnston again met and signed the first articles of capitulation. L'pon thedisbandmentof tlie Confederate army General Johnston issued a farewell address to liis men directing them to return to their homes and there discharge the obligations of good citizens as expressed in the terms of surrender. John- ston removed to Vicksburg, was president of a railroad company in Arkansas and engaged in the insurance business as a partner of Gen. B. G. Humphrej's, 1868-77. In 1873 he aided in raising funds for the erection of the Lee monument. He removed to Richmond, Va., in 1877; was presi- dent of an express company, and a Democratic representative in the 46th congress, 1879-81. Upon the expiration of his term he resided in Washington and was appointed by President Cleveland U.S. commissioner of railroads under the interstate commerce bill, approved, February 4, 1887, serving 1887-91. In August, 1885, when on official business in Oregon, lie was invited to serve as a pall-bearer of General Grant in New York city, and lie hastened across the continent to attend. He was a member of the board of visitors of the College of William and ]\lary. He attended the Confederate memorial services at Atlanta, Ga., in 1890, and upon the death of General Sherman in February, 1891, he was se- lected as one of the honorary pall-bearers, and although suffering from heart trouble lieattended. The exposure brought on a cold which caused his death. He istheauthor of : Narrativp. of Mili- tary Operations Directed during the Late War