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'''Joseph E. Johnston''' (born February 3, 1809,<ref>Records also state him to be born in 1804 and 1807, so an accurate date is questionable.</ref> died March 21, 1891) was a [[Confederate]] [[general]] during the [[American Civil War]].

'''Joseph E. Johnston''' (born February 3, 1809,<ref>Records also state him to be born in 1804 and 1807, so an accurate date is questionable.</ref> died March 21, 1891) was a [[Confederate]] [[general]] during the [[American Civil War]].

==Civil War==

==Civil War==

===Service in Virginia===

===Service in Virginia===

At the onset of the Civil War, Johnston was a Brigadier Genreal in the [[US Army]], serving as Quartermaster General. When Virginia seceded, he resigned his commission to join the fledgling Confederacy, the highest-ranking officer to do so. He was in command during the [[First Battle of Bull Run]], although he delegated command on the field to his second-in-command, P. G. T. Beauregard, who was more acquainted with the battlefield. In recognition of that victory, Johnston was promoted to command the Confederate forces defending Virginia against the Union Army of the Potomac. His relations to Confederate President [[Jefferson Davis]] were strained, however, when Davis revealed the ranks of the Confederate full generals. Johnston, who considered himself the highest-ranking soldier of the Confederacy because he had outranked his colleagues in the US Army, was placed fourth, behind Samuel Cooper, Albert Sidney Johnston and [[Robert E. Lee]]. Johnston sent Davis an acerbic letter of protest, the beginning of a severe deterioration of their relation that led to a complete breakdown later in the war.

At the onset of the Civil War, Johnston was a Brigadier General in the [[US Army]], serving as Quartermaster General. When Virginia seceded, he resigned his commission to join the fledgling Confederacy, the highest-ranking officer to do so. He was in command during the [[First Battle of Bull Run]], although he delegated command on the field to his second-in-command, P. G. T. Beauregard, who was more acquainted with the battlefield. In recognition of that victory, Johnston was promoted to command the Confederate forces defending Virginia against the Union Army of the Potomac. His relations to Confederate President [[Jefferson Davis]] were strained, however, when Davis revealed the ranks of the Confederate full generals. Johnston, who considered himself the highest-ranking soldier of the Confederacy because he had outranked his colleagues in the US Army, was placed fourth, behind Samuel Cooper, Albert Sidney Johnston and [[Robert E. Lee]]. Johnston sent Davis an acerbic letter of protest, the beginning of a severe deterioration of their relation that led to a complete breakdown later in the war.

Johnston contested Union general [[George B. McClellan]]'s invasion of the Virginia Peninsula until he was wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks. His fellow student Robert E. Lee succeeded him.  

Johnston contested Union general [[George B. McClellan]]'s invasion of the Virginia Peninsula until he was wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks. His fellow student Robert E. Lee succeeded him.  

===Atlanta Campaign===

===Atlanta Campaign===

When Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee was defeated by Union forces under Grant at thebattle of Chattanooga in November 1863, Jefferson Davis reluctantly removed Bragg from command and sent Johnston. Davis' confidence in Johnston had declined severely after the Vicksburg debacle, with Davis blaming the fall of Vicksburg on "a lack of provisions inside, and a general outside who wouldn't fight". Johnston proceeded to reorganize and re-equip the Army of Tennessee, a task well-suited to his administrative talents. He took a strong defensive position at Dalton, on the railroad connecting Chattanooga to [[Atlanta]]. Davis wanted Johnston to take the offensive as soon as possible, but Johnston, being outnumbered by his Union opponents, preferred to remain on the defensive until the Union armies had been defeated in battle and weakened. He also claimed insufficient wagons and horses to supply his army when on the offensive.

When Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee was defeated by Union forces under Grant at the battle of Chattanooga in November 1863, Jefferson Davis reluctantly removed Bragg from command and sent Johnston. Davis' confidence in Johnston had declined severely after the Vicksburg debacle, with Davis blaming the fall of Vicksburg on "a lack of provisions inside, and a general outside who wouldn't fight". Johnston proceeded to reorganize and re-equip the Army of Tennessee, a task well-suited to his administrative talents. He took a strong defensive position at Dalton, on the railroad connecting Chattanooga to [[Atlanta]]. Davis wanted Johnston to take the offensive as soon as possible, but Johnston, being outnumbered by his Union opponents, preferred to remain on the defensive until the Union armies had been defeated in battle and weakened. He also claimed insufficient wagons and horses to supply his army when on the offensive.

By spring 1864, Johnston had been reinforced by Leonidas Polk's troops from Mississippi. His opponent was Sherman, who had succeeded Grant as Union commander of the western theaer. Sherman engaged in a campaign of manoeuver, time and again outflanking Johnston, who retreated from one fortified position along the railroad to the next. Twice during this retreat towards Atlanta Johnston tried to offer a battle. The first time, his subordinates Polk and John Bell Hood claimed their lines could be enfiladed by Union artillery and could not be held. The second time Johnston tried to annihilate a separated column of Sherman's troops while it was out of supporting range of the rest of Sherman's army, but Hood, who commanded the attacking forces, canceled the attack when Union troops surprisingly appeared on his flank.

By spring 1864, Johnston had been reinforced by Leonidas Polk's troops from Mississippi. His opponent was Sherman, who had succeeded Grant as Union commander of the western theater. Sherman engaged in a campaign of manoeuver, time and again outflanking Johnston, who retreated from one fortified position along the railroad to the next. Twice during this retreat towards Atlanta Johnston tried to offer a battle. The first time, his subordinates Polk and John Bell Hood claimed their lines could be enfiladed by Union artillery and could not be held. The second time Johnston tried to annihilate a separated column of Sherman's troops while it was out of supporting range of the rest of Sherman's army, but Hood, who commanded the attacking forces, canceled the attack when Union troops surprisingly appeared on his flank.

By June 27, Johnston and Sherman had reached Kenesaw Mountain, one of the last mountains of north [[Georgia]] before Atlanta. Again Johston assumed a fortified position, but here Sherman believed Johnston had streched his forces too thin and ordered a frontal assault. The battle of Kenesaw Mountain was a bloody repulse for Sherman, but it did not suffice to cancel Sherman's numerical superiority, and when he resumed outflanking, Johnston once again retreated.

By June 27, Johnston and Sherman had reached Kennesaw Mountain, one of the last mountains of north [[Georgia]] before Atlanta. Again Johnston assumed a fortified position, but here Sherman believed Johnston had streched his forces too thin and ordered a frontal assault. The battle of Kennesaw Mountain was a bloody repulse for Sherman, but it did not suffice to cancel Sherman's numerical superiority, and when he resumed outflanking, Johnston once again retreated.

Meanwhile Jefferson Davis became alerted by Johnston's repeated retreats and inquired about Johnston's plans for the defence of Atlanta, an important railroad hub. Johnston's explanations were unsatisfactory for Davis, partly because Johnston believed he had to remain on the defensive and to adapt his actions to the enemy's, partly because Johnston was secretive and did not like to reveal his plans to politicians who, in Johnston's opinion, could not be trusted to keep a secret. Finally Davis dispatched Braxton Bragg, then the President's military advisor. When Bragg reported that he couldn't tell whether Johnston had any plans, Davis dismissed Johnston on July 17, 1864 and replaced him with John Bell Hood, after Polk's death in battle the Army of Tennessee's senior corps commander and renowned for his aggressiveness.

Meanwhile Jefferson Davis became alerted by Johnston's repeated retreats and inquired about Johnston's plans for the defence of Atlanta, an important railroad hub. Johnston's explanations were unsatisfactory for Davis, partly because Johnston believed he had to remain on the defensive and to adapt his actions to the enemy's, partly because Johnston was secretive and did not like to reveal his plans to politicians who, in Johnston's opinion, could not be trusted to keep a secret. Finally Davis dispatched Braxton Bragg, then the President's military advisor. When Bragg reported that he couldn't tell whether Johnston had any plans, Davis dismissed Johnston on July 17, 1864 and replaced him with John Bell Hood, after Polk's death in battle the Army of Tennessee's senior corps commander and renowned for his aggressiveness.