Narrative of Military Operations During the Civil War

Respected by his opponents yet at odds with his own authorities, Joseph E. Johnston remains as divisive a soldier now as he was at the time of the Civil War. One of the Confederacy’s highest ranking and most experienced officers, he was regularly criticized both for lacking aggression and for his failures across his campaigns.

Despite effectively halting McClellan’s advance at Seven Pines, having been wounded President Davis replaced Johnston with his old classmate, Gen. Lee. Already bitter, his relationship with Davis only continued to sour, but in spite of Davis’ desire to be rid of him Johnston had the support of Louis Wigfall.

In 1865, nearly three weeks after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, Johnston surrendered his own forces to Gen. Sherman; it was the largest such act of the war, and saved numerous lives. Originally published in 1874 and amongst the first of the Civil War memoirs, Johnston goes beyond simple recollection in an attempt to set the record straight.

Joseph E. Johnston (1807-91) was an American career soldier. Graduating from West Point in 1829, he served in the U.S. Army through the Mexican-American and Seminole Wars. When Virginia declared its secession from the Union, Johnston, then a Brigadier General, resigned his commission and joined the Confederates. Ending the Civil War a full General, he later served a term in Congress.