Joseph Eggleston Johnston

Born February 3, 1807 in Farmville, Virginia on Cherry Grove Plantation

Died March 21, 1891 in Washington, DC

Buried in Green Mount Cemetery Baltimore, Maryland

Joe Johnston is not rated highly among Confederate generals by historians, but his defensive style of fighting kept his armies intact. He was popular with his soldiers. I believe there was something to be said about his fighting style. The Confederacy was outnumbered 4-1 in White men of fighting age. His style was to retreat and wait for the enemy to make a mistake. When they did, he struck furiously, making them pay. Perhaps this style of giving up land to save armies, attacking when the Yankees were caught off-guard, could have won the war for the South. Perhaps. This style was a combination of standard operations spiced with a guerrilla flair.

BTW, Baltimore does not deserve such an honorable man. I would love to see his remains moved to a more fitting cemetery, such as Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA.