Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Johnston, Albert Sidney

JOHNSTON, Albert Sidney (1803-1862), American soldier, was born in Kentucky in 1803. After graduating at West Point in 1826 he served for eight years in the United States army, emigrated to Texas in 1834, and entered the Texan service as private in 1836. His promotion was so rapid that in 1838 he was appointed commander-in-chief, and till 1840 acted as secretary for war. From 1840 till 1846 he lived in retirement on his farm in Texas; but in the latter year he accepted the colonelcy of a regiment of Texan volunteers to serve against Mexico. As a staff-officer he was present at the battle of Monterey in September 1846. Texas joined the Union in 1846; and in 1849 Johnston received a major's commission in the United States army. After various services he won the rank of brevet brigadier-general by his skilful conduct of the expedition sent to Utah in 1857 to bring the Mormons to order. In January 1861 he was transferred from the command of the Texas department to that of the Pacific department; but in April he was superseded, probably on account of his secessionist sympathies. He resigned his national commission in May 1861, and accepted a command in the Confederate army. While acting as commander-in-chief at the battle of Shiloh, he was killed, April 6, 1862.