J E Johnston refers to Joseph Eggleston Johnston, a prominent military figure and Confederate general during the American Civil War. He was born on February 3, 1807, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and died on March 21, 1891, in Washington, D.C.
Johnston graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829. Initially serving in the United States Army, he later resigned his commission to join the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
As a skilled tactician, J E Johnston played a significant role in various battles throughout the war, including the First Battle of Bull Run, the Siege of Yorktown, and the Battle of Seven Pines. He is particularly known for his command of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862.
Johnston's defensive strategies and abilities as an army commander garnered respect, but he struggled with maintaining ongoing relationships with Confederate government officials, particularly his strained rapport with Confederate President Jefferson Davis. These tensions ultimately led to his replacement by General Robert E. Lee in 1862.
Post-war, Johnston served as President of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad and as an advisor to the Mexican army during the Franco-Mexican War. He also published a book on his Civil War experiences titled "Narrative of Military Operations Directed during the Late War between the States."
Joseph Eggleston Johnston, commonly referred to as J E Johnston, is remembered as a noteworthy Confederate general who left a lasting impact on the strategy and tactics employed by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
