{⋆★⋆} BG Johnston, George Doherty

George Doherty Johnston​

Born: May 30, 1832

Birthplace: Hillsborough, North Carolina

Father: George Mulholland Johnston 1800 – 1834

Mother: Eliza Mary Bond 1805 – 1875

1st​ Wife: Mary Euphradia Poellnitz 1833 – 1863

(Buried: Marion Cemetery, Marion, Alabama)​

2nd​ Wife: Maria Barnett 1843 – 1868

(Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Columbia, Tennessee)​

3rd​ Wife: Stella Marie Searcy 1842 – 1916

(Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Tuscaloosa, Alabama)​

Children:

George Burke Johnston 1855 – 1915​

(Buried: Rosemont Cemetery, Uniontown, Alabama)​

​

Ida Johnston 1854 – 1863​

(Buried: Marion Cemetery, Marion, Alabama)​

​

Euphradia Poellnitz Johnston 1863 – 1912​

​

Henry Milton Johnston 1859 – 1902​

(Buried: Marion Cemetery, Marion, Alabama)​

​

Charles Poellnitz Johnston 1857 – 1940​

​

Maria Barnett Johnston Unknown – 1872​

(Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Columbia, Tennessee)​

​

George Doherty Johnston Jr. 1878 – 1972​

(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Tuscaloosa, Alabama)​

Education:

Attended Howard College​

​

Studied law at Cumberland University

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Marion, Alabama​

​

Mayor of Marion, Alabama​

​

Alabama State Representative​

Civil War Career:

1861: 2nd​ Lt. in Company G of 4th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment​

​

1862 – 1863: Major of 25th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment​

​

1863 – 1864: Colonel of 25th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment​

​

1864 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

​

1864: Wounded during the Battle of Ezra Church​

​

1864: Participated in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee​

​

1865: Participated in the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina​

Occupation after War:

Commandant of Cadets at University of Alabama​

​

Superintendent of South Carolina Military Academy​

​

United States Civil Service Commissioner​

​

Alabama State Senator​

Died: December 8, 1910

Place of Death: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Age at time of Death: 78 years old

Burial Place: Greenwood Cemetery, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

 

[Luke Freet]

George Doherty Johnston:​

Born: May 30, 1832
Birthplace: Hillsborough North CarolinaView attachment 360637
Father: George Mulholland Johnston 1800 – 1834
Mother: Eliza Mary Bond 1805 – 1875
1st​ Wife: Mary Euphradia Poellnitz 1833 – 1863
(Buried: Marion Cemetery Marion Alabama)
2nd​ Wife: Maria Barnett 1843 – 1868
(Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery Columbia Tennessee)
3rd​ Wife: Stella Marie Searcy 1842 – 1916
(Buried: Greenwood Cemetery Tuscaloosa Alabama)
Children:
George Burke Johnston 1855 – 1915
(Buried: Rosemont Cemetery Uniontown Alabama)
Ida Johnston 1854 – 1863
(Buried: Marion Cemetery Marion Alabama)
Euphradia Poellnitz Johnston 1863 – 1912
Henry Milton Johnston 1859 – 1902
(Buried: Marion Cemetery Marion Alabama)
Charles Poellnitz Johnston 1857 – 1940
Maria Barnett Johnston Unknown – 1872
(Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery Columbia Tennessee)
George Doherty Johnston Jr. 1878 – 1972
(Buried: Evergreen Cemetery Tuscaloosa Alabama)

Education:
Attended Howard College
Studied law at Cumberland UniversityView attachment 360638

Occupation before War:
Attorney in Marion Alabama
Mayor of Marion Alabama
Alabama State Representative

Civil War Career:
1861: 2nd​ Lt. in Company G of 4th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment
1862 – 1863: Major of 25th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment
1863 – 1864: Colonel of 25th​ Alabama Infantry Regiment
1864 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry
1864: Wounded during the Battle of Ezra Church
1864: Participated in the Battle of Franklin Tennessee
1865: Participated in the Battle of Bentonville North Carolina

Occupation after War:
Commandant of Cadets at University of Alabama
Superintendent of South Carolina Military Academy
United States Civil Service Commissioner
Alabama State Senator

Died: December 8, 1910
Place of Death: Tuscaloosa Alabama
Age at time of Death: 78 years old
Burial Place: Greenwood Cemetery Tuscaloosa Alabama



View attachment 360641

Johnston was temporarily commander of Deas' brigade at Ezra Church, where he was wounded in the leg. I am not certain off the top of my head when he recieved his promotion to brigadier, but I am pretty certain it was due to his command of the brigade at that engagement.
He returned to the army after the disaster at Franklin left Quarles' Tennessee brigade without any commanders, and so, Johnston was assigned command. He was still moving on crutches at Nashville.

 

[Pollaco]

As a Colonel of the 25th Alabama He led the regiment at Chickamauga and Chattanooga,

 

[gentlemanrob]

 

[Pollaco]

He certainly sounds like an interesting person, according to the newspaper clipping he was wounded in the leg only 3 hours after receiving his brigadier General's promotion.

 

[Luke Freet]

Johnston returned to the Army of Tennessee at Nashville, where he took command of Quarles' Brigade. He was still recovering from his wounds at Ezra Church and spent the rest of his service using crutches to move around.

 

[Pollaco]

Johnston was temporarily commander of Deas' brigade at Ezra Church, where he was wounded in the leg. I am not certain off the top of my head when he recieved his promotion to brigadier, but I am pretty certain it was due to his command of the brigade at that engagement.
He returned to the army after the disaster at Franklin left Quarles' Tennessee brigade without any commanders, and so, Johnston was assigned command. He was still moving on crutches at Nashville.

He received his commission as brigadier on July 26, 1864. Leading Zachariah Deas' brigade he was wounded at Ezra Church 2 days later on July 28th.

 

[ErnieMac]

There seems to be a back story concerning George Johnston's promotion which may prove of interest. He had served as colonel of the 25th Alabama under the command of BG Zachariah Deas since the latter's promotion in December 1862. He was twice recommended for promotion which finally occurred on July 26, 1864, on a provisional basis. He was assigned to command Deas' Brigade though there is no indication of Deas being wounded or disabled. On August 8, 1864, following Johnston's wounding at Ezra Church, Deas was ordered to report to Patton Anderson for assignment and returned to command of his old brigade.

On August 10 Army of Tennessee commander General John B. Hood sent the following message to the War Department (OR Series 1, Volume XXXVIII, Part 5, page 953):

Atlanta, Ga., August 10, 1864.​

Hon. J. A. Seddon:​

​

When your telegram of July 23 was received, ordering Brigadier-General Deas' case before an examining board, it was impracticable to execute the order, General Deas being absent sick and Major-General Hindman having left for the Trans-Mississippi Department. On the 6th of August General Deas reported, and I have placed him on duty, hoping it will meet your approval.​

​

J. B. HOOD.​

It would seem Deas' performance was under some type of formal review and Johnston was appointed to command his brigade. @Luke Freet posted a few years ago a statement in Albert Castel's book Decision in the West about Deas being an alcoholic which, IMO, might have been the basis of that review. Deas remained in command of his brigade until March 1865 while Johnston seems to have had no command until he replaced the wounded and captured Quarles at Franklin.