Page 976 : JOHNSON — JOHNSTON
Individual articles:
- Johnson, Richard Mentor
- Johnson, Dr. Samuel
- Johnson, Sir William
- Johnston, Albert Sidney
- Johnston, Joseph Eggleston
John′son, Dr. Samuel, was born at Lichfield, England, on Sept. 18, 1709. He received his early education in his native town and from his father’s library. In 1729 he went to Pembroke College, Oxford. Here Johnson spent the unhappiest period of his lite. He was oppressed by debt and other difficulties, which prevented him from taking his degree. After teaching school, which he greatly disliked and in which he was a failure, he began to translate for the press; and when his affairs were at their worst he married. In 1737, with a tragedy and twopence half-penny in his pocket, he came to London. His struggle for a living is touching. Sometimes dinnerless and bedless, always ill-fed and shabbily dressed, he never whined about his hardships, and there is no braver figure in English literature. Meanwhile he was slowly becoming the foremost writer of the day. In 1738 appeared his poem of London. From 1747 to 1755 he worked on his famous Dictionary. When the huge undertaking was nearly done, a nobleman whose help at an eailier time had been refused to Johnson wished to patronize the writer and his work. To this Johnson replied in ihe famous letter of Feb. 7, 1755, which perhaps is the finest piece of indignant writing on record. About this time came out his Vanity of Human Wishes and The Rambler. In 1759 was published Rasselas. A pension of $1,500 a year enabled him to spend his last twenty-two years in comfort. He gathered at his house a queer company of homeless friends, besides providing a night’s lodging to many waifs and strays and often putting pennies into the hands of street Arabs asleep on the pavement, that they might wake up and find that they had wherewith to buy a breakfast. In 1781 appeared his Lives of the Poets, perhaps his most enduring work. He died at London on Dec. 13, 1784. See Boswell’s Life of Johnson. See the Essay by Macaulay, that by Carlyle and Leslie Stephens’ Johnson in the English Men of Letters Series.
Johnson, Sir William, was born at Warrentown, Ireland, in 1715. At 23 he was sent to America to manage the estates of his uncle. His business brought him into contact with the Mohawk Indians, whose language he learned, and who made him an honorary chieftain of their tribe. Johnson received his baronetcy during the French and Indian Wars. His services to the British cause were so highly esteemed that the king presented him with 100,000 acres in New York. Here was planted a settlement, named Johnstown for him, in Tyrone County; and here he died on July 11, 1774. See his Life by W. L. Stone.
John′ston, Albert Sidney, was born in Kentucky, Feb. 3, 1803, and was educated at West Point, where he graduated in 1826. He fought in the Black Hawk War, and later emigrated to Texas, where he was made commander of its forces. In 1838 he was appointed secretary of war in Texas. During the Mexican War Johnston was inspector-general on the staff of Gen. W. O. Butler. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was brigadier-general in the department of the Pacific, but in May, 1861, entered the Confederate service as general, with a command in the west. With 50,000 men he attacked General Grant on April 6, 1862, at Shiloh, where was fought a notable battle. General Johnston was killed by a rifle-ball on the first day of the engagement. He was one of the bravest and ablest of the Confederate generals. See the Life by his son.
Johnston, Joseph Eggleston, an American general, was born in Virginia, Feb. 3, 1807, His mother was a niece of Patrick Henry. He graduated at West Point in 1829, fought in the Seminole War and served with great bravery in the war with Mexico. In 1861 he entered the Confederate service, and was appointed brigadier-general, with command of the army of the Shenandoah. He came to the help of Beauregard at the first battle of Bull Run. In 1862 he was disabled for months by a wound received at Seven Pines, while opposing McClellan. In 1863 he tried to relieve Vicksburg, but failed, as his command was too weak. He commanded the force sent to oppose Sherman’s march on Atlanta in 1864, and stubbornly resisted the latter’s progress, but was stead-
Image: JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON
