Excellent questions, Admiral.
I know of no primary source specifically naming Johnston as responsible. However, a great many historians have concluded that his errors seem more to be on the omission side with regard to Donelson.
What he was expected to do -- in retrospect -- was a tall order: defend the entire west from northern invasion. Of course, as commander of the area, he was responsible for neglecting (or overlooking) the forts on the Tennessee and the Cumberland near the Kentucky border. Perhaps the primary guilt was in not giving them the priority he must surely have known they deserved.
He sent second-raters to inspect, construct and command the forts. And he should have known (or been informed) that Fort Henry didn't qualify as a defensive bastion.
Was he over-rated? We'll never know, but I suspect he was. His giving command over to PGTB before Shiloh is my tie-breaker for that. Personally pitching into battle at Shiloh instead of directing movements (if that were possible over that distance and terrain) was not the act of an army commander.
The man had more years in active service than did Bobby Lee. If my memory hasn't yet totally failed, I believe he had more experience in important commands, as well. He must have had something to offer. As to on-the-job learning? Can't tell. He waffled while the forts fell, correctly deduced that Corinth would be a target, astutely determined that it would be a good idea to hit the Feds before the two armies could unite, and then wavered in the face of PGTB.
A potential unrealized? Probably. All the greats bumbled about for a while after taking command. They seemed to have learned. ASJ might have as well. Unfortunately ......
Ole
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