George W. Johnson (governor)
George W. Johnson | |
---|---|
1st Confederate Governor of Kentucky | |
In office November 20, 1861 – April 8, 1862 | |
Lieutenant | Horatio F. Simrall |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Richard Hawes |
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from the Scott County district | |
In office 1838–1840 | |
Personal details | |
Born | George Washington Johnson May 27, 1811 4th Kentucky Infantry Regiment |
Battles/wars | American Civil War |
George Washington Johnson (May 27, 1811 – April 8, 1862) was the first Confederate governor of Kentucky. A lawyer-turned-farmer from Scott County, Kentucky, Johnson, a supporter of slavery who owned 26 slaves, favored secession as a means of preventing the Civil War, believing the Union and Confederacy would be forces of equal strength, each too wary to attack the other.[1] As political sentiment in the Commonwealth took a decidedly Union turn following the elections of 1861, Johnson was instrumental in organizing a sovereignty convention in Russellville, Kentucky, with the intent of "severing forever our connection with the Federal Government."[2] The convention created a Confederate shadow government for the Commonwealth, and Johnson was elected its governor. This government never controlled the entire state though it controlled about half the state early in the war, Kentucky remained in the Union after 1862 throughout the rest of the war.
Despite his meager political experience—having previously served only three years in the
Early life and career
George Washington Johnson was born on May 27, 1811, near Georgetown in Scott County, Kentucky, the son of major William and Betsy Payne Johnson.[3][4][5] Major Johnson died soon after the close of the War of 1812, in which he was a participant, and George Johnson was reared in the home of his stepfather, John Allen.[6] Johnson received three degrees from Transylvania University: an A.B. in 1829, an LL.B. in 1832, and an M.A. in 1833.[5] On August 20, 1833, he married Ann Eliza Viley, daughter of Captain Willa and Lydia Smith Viley.[7] The couple had ten children, seven of whom lived to adulthood.[4]
Johnson briefly practiced law in Georgetown, but decided he preferred farming.
Civil War
Although he supported John C. Breckinridge for president in 1860, he did not feel that Abraham Lincoln's election justified secession, since Republicans controlled neither Congress nor the Supreme Court.[4] As the Confederate States of America were formed, however, Johnson began to lose hope for Kentucky as a part of the Union.[9] Instead, he began to advocate that Kentucky join the Confederacy, believing that the Union and Confederate nations would be too evenly matched to consider war and would negotiate a free trade agreement that would benefit both.[9]
In 1861, Johnson traveled to
Russellville Convention
On October 29, 1861, a group of Kentuckians—Johnson among them—met at Russellville, Kentucky, to discuss the formation of a Confederate government for the Commonwealth, believing the Unionist government in Frankfort did not represent the will of the majority of Kentucky's citizens.[5] Johnson chaired the committee that authored the convention's final report, and personally introduced some of its key resolutions.[5] The report called for a sovereignty convention to sever ties with the Federal government.[5] Johnson, Breckinridge, and Humphrey Marshall were among the notable members of the Committee of Ten that made arrangements for the convention.[12]
On November 18, 1861, 116 delegates representing 68 Kentucky counties convened at the Clark House in Russellville.[13] Over the next three days, a shadow government was established with Bowling Green as its temporary capital.[7] Johnson was unanimously chosen as governor of the new Confederate state.
Confederate governor
On November 21, 1861, Johnson wrote Confederate president Jefferson Davis to request Kentucky's admission to the Confederacy.[9] Though Davis had some reservation about the circumvention of the elected General Assembly in forming the Confederate government, he concluded that Johnson's request had merit.[9] Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861.[5]
During the winter of 1861, Johnson tried unsuccessfully to assert the legitimacy of the fledgling government. Its jurisdiction extended only as far as the area controlled by the Confederate Army.
During his labors to sustain the provisional government, Johnson's lack of hearing from his family weighed heavily upon him. The only family member with whom he had contact was his son Madison ("Matty"), who had joined John Hunt Morgan's cavalry. Johnson admired and respected Morgan, and was pleased that his son had chosen to serve under him. In 1862, he requested by letter that his wife send their fifteen-year-old son Junius to serve in the Confederate Army. Despite Johnson's protestations that he would ensure his son's safety, his wife refused this request.[15]
It was Johnson's practice to avoid interference with military decisions, however he supported Morgan's request for two light artillery pieces that became hallmarks of his command. By contrast, he consistently opposed the command of General Lloyd Tilghman, trying repeatedly but unsuccessfully to have him removed. It is unclear how much military influence Johnson wielded in his position as governor, though he enjoyed a cordial relationship with most of the Confederate generals.[16]
Death at the Battle of Shiloh
When General Albert Sydney Johnston was forced to withdraw his troops from Bowling Green in February 1862, the Confederate state government moved with his army to Tennessee.
The next day, Johnson was seriously wounded in the right thigh and abdomen.[5] He lay wounded on the battlefield until the next morning, when he was recognized by Union General Alexander McDowell McCook.[5] Johnson and McCook had both attended the 1860 Democratic National Convention and were both Freemasons.[9] Johnson was taken aboard the Union hospital ship Hannibal, where despite the ministrations of several physicians, he died on April 8.[9] Friends in the Union army, including General John M. Harlan, packed Johnson's body in salt and shipped it to Louisville, then on to Georgetown for burial.[11]
See also
- Kentucky in the Civil War
- Shropshire House
References
- ^ Columnist, James Bartek Guest (March 11, 2020). "Plaque incompatible with library mission". News-Graphic.com. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Neace, James Clell; Harned, Edgar Porter (2000). "Kentucky Had Two Confederate Governors". Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "The Government of Confederate Kentucky" in Brown, p. 82
- ^ a b c d e "Johnson, George W." in Kleber, p. 473
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Harrison in Kentucky Governors, pp. 82–84
- ^ Harrison in Register, p. 3
- ^ a b c "George W. Johnson" in Powell, p. 114
- ^ a b Berry, Letha (2000). "George W. Johnson – A Tribute". Pride in Pike County. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "George W. Johnson, Governor of Confederate Kentucky", Lowell Harrison, in Kentucky's Civil War 1861–1865, pp. 63–65
- ^ a b Harrison in Register, p. 8
- ^ a b c Perrin, p. 598
- ^ Harrison in Register, p. 13
- ^ "Confederate State Government" in Kleber, p. 222
- ^ a b Harrison in Register, p. 20
- ^ Harrison in Register, pp. 16–17
- ^ Harrison in Register, p. 18
Bibliography
- Kent Masterson Brown, ed. (2000). The Civil War in Kentucky: Battle for the Bluegrass. Mason City, Iowa: Savas Publishing Company. ISBN 1-882810-47-3.
- Harrison, Lowell Hayes (Winter 1981). "George W. Johnson and Richard Hawes: The Governors of Confederate Kentucky". The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. 79 (1): 3–39.
- Lowell H. Harrison, ed. (2004). Kentucky's Governors. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2326-7.
- Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
- ISBN 0-9769231-1-4.
- William Henry Perrin, ed. (1882). History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky. Chicago, Illinois: O. L. Baskin & Co. ISBN 0-8063-0510-X.
- Powell, Robert A. (1976). Kentucky Governors. Danville, Kentucky: Bluegrass Printing Company. OCLC 2690774.