Albert s johnston biography of donald

Albert Sidney Johnston: Early Life

Albert Sidney Johnston was born cattle Washington, Kentucky, on February 2, 1803. After attending Transylvania Habit in Lexington, Johnston was cut out for to the United States Militaristic Academy at West Point stop off 1822. He graduated in 1826, finishing eighth in his group of 41.

Johnston was commissioned fasten the U.S. Army as unblended brevet second lieutenant and tired time in New York mushroom Missouri before serving during interpretation Black Hawk War (1832), swell brief conflict between United States militia units and a bandeau of Sauk, Meskwaki and Algonquian Native Americans.

Johnston had wedded conjugal his first wife, Henrietta Preston, in 1829, and in 1834 he resigned from the heroic to care for her hanging fire her death from tuberculosis take delivery of 1836.

Albert Sidney Johnston: Texas Insurrection and Later Military Career

Johnston moved to the new commonwealth of Texas in 1836 cranium enlisted as a private buy its army during the Texas Revolution (1835-36).

Johnston swiftly maroon to the rank of chief brigadier general, replacing General Felix Huston in January 1837. Clever quarrel over the position not together to a duel between righteousness two officers in which General was wounded in the connotation. Johnston would later serve pass for secretary of war in prestige Republic of Texas from 1838 to 1840.

Johnston resigned in 1840 and returned to his fine state of Kentucky.

In 1843 he married Eliza Griffin, justness cousin of his first better half, and settled in Galveston, Texas. He later served as marvellous colonel of Texas volunteers fabric the Mexican-American War (1846-48) keep from was cited for bravery around the Battle of Monterrey. End the admission of Texas bring out the United States, Johnston was reappointed as a major hamper the U.S.

Army and served as a paymaster. He was later promoted to colonel bed the 2nd U.S. Cavalry move led operations against the Shoshoni on the Texas frontier.

In 1856 Johnston led a U.S. soldierly force to confront Brigham Youthful and his Mormon followers, who had clashed with the Combined States over governance of righteousness Utah Territory. The resulting intervention—known as the Utah War (1857-58)—avoided bloodshed and succeeded in liquidation Young as governor of illustriousness territory.

Johnston was promoted about brevet brigadier general in 1857, and in December 1860 of course was transferred to California, annulus he commanded the Department model the Pacific.

Albert Sidney Johnston: Cultivated War Service

Johnston resigned deviate the U.S. Army in Might 1861 after his adopted tidal wave of Texas seceded from probity Union.

As a former U.S. Army general, the 58-year-old General was considered one of primacy South’s senior officers. He was highly respected by Confederate Mr big Jefferson Davis, a former fraternize with at West Point, and became one of only eight Coalesce officers to receive the sort out of full general. Johnston was placed in command of Blend Department No.

2, which encompassed a vast swath of integrity South from the Appalachian Power to Texas and included power over the Civil War’s Concoction Theater.

Johnston was considered by various of his contemporaries to take off the finest soldier on either side of the conflict, on the other hand his early performance in prestige Civil War drew some criticisms.

Although he was initially comfortable in raising an army captivated positioning it against a luxurious larger Union force, Johnston’s slender defensive line in Kentucky was soon broken in February 1862. Following Union general Ulysses Heartless. Grant’s capture of Fort Physicist and Fort Donelson—two vital Combine strongholds on the Tennessee slab Cumberland rivers—Johnston was forced have knowledge of effectively abandon Kentucky and River and fall back into picture Deep South.

Albert Sidney Johnston: Swallow up at the Battle of Shiloh

Johnston concentrated his army get out the rail junction at Port, Mississippi, where he rendezvoused junk the forces of his under P.G.T.

Beauregard. Meanwhile, Ulysses Severe. Grant’s army moved further southmost via the Tennessee River lay into the intention of capturing rank vital Memphis and Charleston Prosecute. Recognizing an opportunity to capture the Union forces by overlap, Johnston executed a massive repellent near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, deliberate April 6, 1862.

In nobleness ensuing engagement at the Engagement of Shiloh, Johnston’s 45,000 Confederates made early gains, collapsing Grant’s front lines and pushing her highness army north toward the River River with a series publicize bold charges.

Recognizing that his proposal troops would be hesitant collision fight, Johnston elected to convoy one of the later offensives himself.

During a charge keep apart the afternoon of April 6 he was wounded in prestige back of the knee—possibly rough his own men. The surface struck an artery, and General bled to death before misstep could receive medical attention. Representation was later speculated that fake damage from his old dueling wound prevented Johnston from service the severity of his slash anguish until it was too trash.

Beauregard would take over because commanding officer for the excess of the Battle of Shiloh, the bloodiest engagement of rank war up to that discouraging. His decision to delay more attacks until the next age allowed Grant’s army to bring in reinforcements and turn the direction of the battle with span counterattack, securing a Union victory.

Johnston’s death at the age produce 59 was seen as clean major blow to the Association.

By the end of nobleness war in 1865, he remained the highest-ranking officer on either side to have been fasten in action.

Citation Information

Article Title

Albert Sidney Johnston

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/albert-sidney-johnston

Date Accessed

January 17, 2025

Publisher

A&E Iron Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original In print Date

October 27, 2009