Albert Sidney Johnston Bio in 1861 Harper's Weekly

HARPER'S WEEKLY

[SEPTEMBER 28, 1861.

612

THE REBEL GENERAL
A. S. JOHNSTON.

THE telegraph announces that ALBERT SYDNEY JOHNSTON, late Colonel United States Army, and commander-in-chief of the army of Utah, has been appointed by Jeff Davis to command the rebel forces on the Mississippi. We publish his portrait herewith.

Albert S. Johnston was born in Macon County, Kentucky, in 1803, and is consequently fifty-eight years of age. After the usual school training young Johnston was adopted by the United States, and educated at their expense at their Military Academy at West Point. On graduating he entered the 6th Infantry, and was ordered to the West. During the Black Hawk war he acted as Adjutant General, President Lincoln being at the time a captain of volunteers. At the close of the war he re-signed his commission, and resided first in Missouri, next in Texas. War breaking out in the latter State, he entered the Texan army as a private, and rose to high distinction. He afterward filled the post of Secretary of War. On the annexation of Texas to the United States Johnston raised a partisan troop, which he commanded, and accompanied General Taylor to Monterey. At the close of the Mexican war he returned to his plantation; but being in embarrassed circumstances, was glad to accept from the United States the post of Paymaster, which was generously bestowed upon him by the Government. Under Pierce, Mr. Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War, made Johnston Colonel of the 2d Cavalry, and he subsequently received the command of the Southwestern Military District. At the outbreak of the war with Utah he was chosen, over many more skilled officers, to command the expedition which crossed the plains. He continued to fill that post—being, in fact, dictator in the country which he occupied—until the rebellion took place, when he traitorously abandoned his flag. He is believed to have made energetic attempts to induce California and Oregon to join the rebels, but to have been foiled by the common sense of our Pacific brethren and the sagacious measures adopted by Govern-

ment. He is now, as we stated, in command of the rebels on the Mississippi, and will have to deal with General Fremont.

THE "WINONA."

THE United States Screw Steam Gun-boat Winona, built by C. & R. POILLON, of which we publish a portrait on page 613, was launched—fully sparred and rigged, and with the propeller and main shafting fitted up in her—from their yard, foot of Bridge Street, Brooklyn, on Saturday, 14th inst., at 5 o'clock P.M. Her dimensions are, Length over all, 165 feet breadth, 28 feet; hold, 10 feet; tonnage, 558 tons measurement. She is built of white and live oak, yellow pine and locust, and fastened in conformity to the Government system of building. By the terms of con-tract she was to be launched in seventy-five days, but was ready in forty-six working days from the signing of the contract. She is of good mod-el, and in all her details exhibits excellence of workmanship and beauty of finish. After launching she was towed to the Allaire Works Dock, where she will receive her boilers and other machinery, which consists of two back-acting engines with 30-inch cylinders and 18 - inch stroke, and two tubular boilers of Martin variety. The screw propeller is of composition, nine feet in diameter. The engines will develop about 350-horse power, and the consumption of coal will be about eight tons per day. The total weight of machinery will be about 130 tons.

Four gun-boats like the Winona have been launched, viz. : Ottawa, Pembina, Seneca, and Chippewa, all of New York.

Eighteen are in the course of construction, and are more or less advanced, viz.: Tahoma, Wilmington, Del. ; Wissahickon, Scioto, and Itasca, Philadelphia; Unadilla, New York; Owasco, Mystic River, Ct. ; Kanawha, East Haddam ; Cayuga, Portland ; Huron, Chocura, and ,Sagamore, Boston ; Marblehead, Newburyport Kennebec, Thomaston, Me. ; Aroostook, Kennebunk, Me. ; Kineo. Portland, ,e. ; Katahdin, Bath, Me.; Penobscot, Belfast, Me. ; and Pinola, Baltimore, Md.

THE REBEL GENERAL ALBERT S. JOHNSTON, COMMANDING ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE AT THE CONTINENTAL THEATRE, PHILIDELPHIA. — [ SEE PAGE 623.]