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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1829

Vol. I
p427
553

(Born Va.)

Joseph E. Johnston

(Ap'd Va.)

13

Joseph Eggleston Johnston: Born Feb. 3, 1807, Longwood, VA.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1825, to July 1, 1829, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 4th Artillery, July 1, 1829.

Second Lieut., 4th Artillery, July 1, 1829.

Served: in garrison at Ft. Columbus, N. Y., 1830‑31, — and Ft. Monroe, Va. (Artillery School for Practice), 1831‑32; in the "Black Hawk Expedition," 1832, but not at the seat of war;​a in garrison at Charleston harbor, S. C., 1832‑33, during South Carolina's threatened nullification,  p428 — and Ft. Monroe, Va., 1833; in Creek Nation, 1833‑34; in garrison at Ft. Macon, N. C., 1834, — and Ft. Monroe, Va., 1834; on Topographical duty, July 17, 1834, to June 28, 1836; in the Florida War against the

(First Lieut., 4th Artillery, July 31, 1836)

Seminole Indians, 1836‑38 (Aide-de‑Camp to Major-General Scott, Feb. 22 to May 21, 1836), being engaged in the Skirmish near the mouth of Jupiter Inlet, Jan. 15, 1838.

Resigned, May 31, 1837.

Civil History. — Civil Engineer, 1837‑38.

Military History. — Re-appointed in the U. S. Army with the rank of

First Lieut., Corps of Topographical Engineers, July 7, 1838.

Bvt. Captain, July 7, 1838, for Gallantry on Several Occasions in the War against the Florida Indians.

Served: in charge of Black River Improvement, N. Y., 1838‑39; as Asst. Top. Engineer on the Survey of Sault St. Marie, 1840, and of Boundary between Texas and the United States, 1841, — on the improvement of Harbors on Lake Erie, 1841, — and in the Topographical Bureau at Washington, D. C., 1841‑42; in the Florida War, 1842‑43, as Acting Asst. Adjutant-General, Oct. 31, 1842, to Apr. 13, 1843; on Survey of the Boundary between the United States and the British Provinces, 1843‑44; on Coast Survey, 1844‑46; in the War with Mexico, 1847,

(Captain, Corps of Topographical Engineers, Sep. 21, 1846)

being engaged in the Siege of Vera Cruz, Mar. 8º‑29, 1847, — Reconnoissance of Cerro Gordo, Apr. 12, 1847, where he was severely wounded

(Bvt. Major, Apr. 12, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct at Cerro Gordo, Mex., whilst on Reconnoitring Duty)

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Voltigeurs, Apr. 9, 1847)

(Bvt. Colonel, Apr. 12, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct at Cerro Gordo, Mex., whilst on Reconnoitring Duty)

(twice shot), — Battle of Contreras, Aug. 19‑20, 1847, — Battle of Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847, — Battle of Molino del Rey, Sep. 8, 1847, — Storming of Chapultepec, Sep. 13, 1847, — and Assault of the City of Mexico, Sep. 13, 1847, where he was wounded.

Disbanded as Lieut.‑Colonel, Voltigeurs, Aug. 28, 1848.

Reinstated by Act of Congress, July 19, 1848, with his original rank as

Captain, Topographical Engineers, to date from Sep. 21, 1846.

Served: as Chief Top. Engineer of the Department of Texas, 1848‑53;

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., Sep. 13, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battle of Chapultepec, Mex.)

in charge of Western River Improvements, 1853‑55; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1855; on Recruiting service, 1855; on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1855‑56, — and in quelling Kansas Disturbances, 1856; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1856‑57; in running the Southern Boundary of Kansas, Apr. 4 to Nov. 15, 1857; on Special duty at Washington, D. C., 1857‑58; as Acting Inspector-General on Utah Expedition, May 3 to Aug. 26, 1858; on frontier duty at Ft. Riley, Kan., 1858; on detached service at Washington, D. C., Sep. 9, 1858, to June 28, 1860; and as Quartermaster-General, in charge of the

(Brig.‑Gen., Staff — Quartermaster-General of the U. S. Army, June 28, 1860)

 p429  Quartermaster Department at Washington, D. C., June 28, 1860, to Apr. 22, 1861.

Resigned, Apr. 22, 1861.

Joined in the Rebellion of 1861‑66 against the United States.​b

Civil History. — President of an Insurance Company, 18––– to 18–––. Author of "Narrative of Military Operations," 1874. Declined Presidency of Arkansas Industrial University, 1875. Member of the U. S. House of Representatives, from the State of Virginia, Mar. 4, 1879, to Mar. 4, 1881. U. S. Commissioner of Railroads, Apr. 2, 1885, to July 10, 1889.

[Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Vol. IV
p33
Died, at Washington, D. C., March 21, 1891: Aged 84.

See Annual Association of Graduates U. S. M. A., 1891, for an obituary notice.

Buried, Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, MD.


Thayer's Notes:

a The phrase "but not at the seat of war" occurs frequently in the Register in connection with the Black Hawk War; the explanation in most cases is the one given in the biographical sketch of James Monroe (q.v.).

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b Gen. Joseph Johnston reached national prominence as one of the great Confederate generals; among the many resources online, this page at The Civil War for example offers an illustrated biographical sketch of some length.


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