Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/116

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JOHNSON


JOHNSON


of the Virginia state senate, 1875-79, and presi- dent of the electoral college of Maryland in 1884. He is the author of: Chase's Decisions (ISIQ); The Foundation of Maryland (1883); 3Iemoirsof Gen. Joseph E. Johnston (1891); General Wash- ington in the " Great Commanders "sei'ies (1894); Tlie Confederate History of Maryland (1899); and the article: "Stonewall Jackson's Intentions at Harper's Ferry " in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.

JOHNSON, Bushrod Rust, soldier, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, Oct, 7, 1817. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 1840; served in the war against the Seminole and Creek Indians and was jiromoted 1st lieutenant in 1844. He was promoted captain; pai-ticipated in many of the battles of the Mexican war, 1847-48, and was advanced to the rank of colonel. He was super- intendent and professor of the Western Military institute, Georgetown, Ky., which became the literary department of the University of Nash- ville, April 4, 1855, and at the beginning of the civil war he left the university and entered the Confederate army with the commission of brig- adier-general. He was taken prisoner at Fort Donelson, where he served as chief of staff to Gen. J. B. Floyd, but subsequently escaped; was severely wounded at Shiloh, where he commanded a brigade, as he did in Bragg's invasion of Ken- tucky, at Perryville in 1863, and at Stone's River in 1868. He commanded a division at the battle of Cliiokamauga, where he discovered the weakness of the Federal right, and entering the gap with his division, began the flank movement to the right which drove the corps of Crittenden and McCook, with the commanding general, from the field. He then took part in the siege of Knox- ville, December, 1863, where he commanded Buckner's division. He was promoted major- general in 1864. While engaged in the defence of Drewey's Bluff, Va., he took part in opposing the assault upon the Richmond railroad above Petersburg by General Butler, May 6-7, 1864, and at Drewey's Bluff, May 16, he captured the ene- my's guns and lost more than one-fourth of his division. He withdrew the remainder of his force to Petersburg, and Butler took possession of Bermuda Hundred. He commanded the South Carolina troops in the charge on the crater at Petersburg and captured three colors and 130 prisoners. He commanded a division at the sur- render at Appomattox, and after the war he re- turned to Tennessee, where in May, 1870, with Gen. E. Kirby Smith, he arranged with the trus- tees of the University of Nashville to conduct a collegiate department with Montgomery Bell academy as a preparatorj' school. General John- son became professor of applied mathematics, and principal of the collegiate department but in June,


POST OFFICE DEPART/v\EAJT


1874, the department was forced to close its doors on account of the impoverished condition of the south. He died in Brighton, 111., Sept. 11, 1880.

JOHNSON, Cave, cabinet officer, was born iii Robertson county, Tenn., Jan. 11, 1793. He re- ceived a liberal education at Cumberland college, and in 1811 raised a company among the students of which he was made captain, and which he tendered to General Jackson, who refused their services, advising them to return to their studies. He studied law in the office of W. W. Cooke un- til 1813, when he served as deputy brigade-quar- termaster in his father's brigade of Tennessee militia in the campaigns of 1818 and 1814. He was admitted to the bar in 1814 and practised at Clarksville, Tenn. He was elected prosecuting attorney for his circuit in 1817; was a Democratic representative in the 21st-24th congresses, 1829-37; and in the 26th-28th congresses, 1839-45. He was postmaster- general in the cabinet of Presi- dent Polk, 1845 - 49;'|3* judge of -^*i«r the circuit ^ court in 18- 53; presi- dent of the Bank of Tennessee, 1854-60, and U.S. commissioner in settling the affairs of the United States and Paraguay Navigation company in 1860. He took no part in the civil war, as he was sixty-nine years old, but sympathized with the South and was pardoned by President Johnson in 1865. In 1866 he was elected to the state senate as a Unionist, but declined to serve. He died in Clarksville, Tenn., Nov. 23, 1866.

JOHNSON, Charles Frederick, educator, Avas born in New York city, May 8, 1836; son of Charles Frederick and Sarah Dvvight (Woolsey) Johnson; grandson of Robert Charles and Kath- arine (Bayard) Johnson and of William Walton and Elizabeth (Dwight) Woolsey; and a descend- ant of Samuel Johnson, who came from Lincoln, England, about 1630, settled in Guilford, Conn., and was president of King's college. New York. He was graduated from Yale in 1855; and studied law, but did not practise. He was assistant professor of mathematics at the U.S. Naval academy, 1865-70, engaged in business at Oswego, N.Y., in 1872, and became professor of English literature at Trinity college. Conn., in 1883. He received from Yale the degree of A.M. in 1885 and that of Litt.D. in 1898. He was twice mar- ried: first, in 1872, to Elizabeth J. McAlpine; and secondly, in 1884, to Ellen Wadsworth Terry. After 1890 he engaged in literary work. He is the author of: Three Englishmen and Three