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William Johnston Jr.

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William Johnston Jr.
Johnston in France, September 1918
Born(1861-10-19)October 19, 1861
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
DiedFebruary 19, 1933(1933-02-19) (aged 71)
Nice, France
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchMissouri Militia
Arizona Militia
United States Army
Years of service1878–1883 (Militia)
1883–1925 (Army)
RankMajor General
Service number0-133
UnitInfantry Branch
Commands1st Battalion, Philippine Scouts
Galveston, Texas Port of Embarkation
180th Infantry Brigade
91st Division
1st Infantry Brigade
Fourth Coast Artillery District
3rd Division
Battles / warsSpanish–American War
Philippine–American War
World War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Alma materWashington University in St. Louis

William Johnston Jr. (October 19, 1861 – February 19, 1933) was a United States Army officer who served for almost forty years. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, he attained the rank of major general and was most notable for his World War I command of the 91st "Wild West" Division.

Early life

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William Hartshorne Johnston Jr. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, a son of Mary (Neele) Johnston and Colonel William Hartshorne Johnston, a U.S. Army paymaster.[1] He was raised and educated at various Army posts and in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended Washington University School of Law from 1876 to 1879.[1][2] While living in St. Louis, Johnston also worked as a salesman for the Scudders-Gale Grocery Company.[3]

Military career

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Militia service

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Johnston enlisted in the Missouri Militia in 1878, and rose to sergeant in the Lafayette Guard of St. Louis before moving to Prescott, Arizona in 1881.[1] While in Arizona, he obtained a commission as a first lieutenant in the territorial militia's Prescott Rifles company, and he served until 1883.[4] From November 1881 to October 1883, he was an Army paymaster's clerk.[5]

In February 1883, Johnston was a resident of New York City when he competed for a Congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy.[6] He was selected by a panel that made a recommendation to Representative Roswell P. Flower, but was subsequently declared ineligible because he did not meet the one-year state residency requirement.[7] In July 1883, he was appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Army directly from civil life, subject to completion of an examination by a board of officers.[8] When Johnston took the competitive examination, he placed first of 96 candidates.[9] His commission in the 16th Infantry Regiment was confirmed in October.[10]

Spanish–American War and Philippine–American War

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In 1887, Johnston graduated with honors from the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.[1] While assigned to the faculty of first Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois[11] and later Saint Louis University,[12] Johnston attended law school at Washington University.[13] He was a student beginning in 1894, graduated in 1897, and received his LL.B. degree.[13][14] At graduation, Johnston was awarded the honor of Prize Essayist of his senior class.[13]

During the Spanish–American War, Johnston served with the 46th U.S. Volunteer Infantry as a major.[10] Following the conflict, Johnston was mustered out of the volunteer service and was appointed military governor of Isabela Province on the Philippine island of Luzon, a post which he held from 1901 to 1902.[15]

During the Philippine–American War, Johnston commanded the 1st Battalion of Philippine Scouts from 1904 to 1906 during the campaign against the Pulajanes, for which he was awarded the Silver Star.[16] He returned to the U.S. in 1907 to attend the Army War College until 1908.[10] After graduating, he rejoined the 16th Infantry at Fort Crook, Nebraska.[17] As of 1911, he was serving in the Philippines as adjutant for the Department of the Visayas.[18]

World War I

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Major General William H. Johnston observing the progress of fighting in the Argonne forest, October 26, 1918.

Johnston was a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 26th Infantry Regiment and commander of the Galveston, Texas Port of Embarkation in October 1914 when he was assigned to the General Staff at the United States Army War College, where he remained until 1917.[19][20] Following the American entry into World War I in April 1917, he was promoted to brigadier general and assigned to command the 180th Infantry Brigade, a unit of the 90th Division. He organized and trained the brigade, which he led to France.[10] After arriving on the Western Front in August 1918, Johnston's brigade was stationed in the Toul Sector as part of I Corps.[16]

General John J. Pershing (left), C-in-C of the AEF in France, and Major General William H. Johnston, commanding the 91st Division, in the Argonne forest, October 26, 1918.

In late August Johnston was succeeded in command of the 180th Brigade by Brigadier General Ulysses G. McAlexander and was assigned to command the 91st Division, taking over from Brigadier General Frederick Steinman Foltz, who had been in temporary command. Having been promoted to divisional command, Johnston was soon promoted to major general. Under his command, and aided by Colonel Herbert J. Brees as his chief of staff, the 91st Division took part in the St. Mihiel offensive and the Meuse–Argonne offensive, for which he was awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) (the second highest military decoration in the United States Armed Forces) along with the Army Distinguished Service Medal, and the Ypres-Lys campaign. The citation for his DSC reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major General William H. Johnston, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as Commanding General of the 91st Division, A.E.F., northwest of Verdun, France, from 27 to 30 September 1918. Major General Johnston repeatedly showed exceptional bravery during the Argonne-Meuse offensive, frequently visiting his front lines under heavy fire from enemy artillery, machine-guns, and snipers, displaying marked coolness and inspiring the members of his command with confidence and determination.[21]

The Army DSM states the following:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General William H. Johnston, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. During the Meuse-Argonne offensive, General Johnston commanded with skill and ability, the 91st Division in the difficult advance that resulted in the taking of Epinonville. Later, in participation with the French, he led his Division with marked distinction in the attack on and capture of the important city of Audenarde in the closing operations of the war in Belgium.[21]

For his leadership in the war, which ended on November 11, 1918, Johnston was additionally awarded the French Legion of Honor (Commander) and Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Belgian Order of Leopold I (Commander) and the Victory Medal.[16]

Inter-war years

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From 1919's The War of the Nations: Portfolio in Rotogravure Etchings

The 91st Division was demobilized in early 1919.[22] Johnston returned briefly to the Army War College's General Staff before deploying once more to Germany in 1920 as part of the American forces occupying Germany.[23][24] Over the next three years, Johnston played key roles in the occupying force, including chief of staff of American Forces in Germany until 1921, commanding officer of the 1st Brigade until 1922 and as general liaison officer to the French Army of the Rhine until 1923.[16]

Johnston returned to the U.S. in 1923 to command the Fourth Coast Artillery District at Fort McPherson, Georgia.[25] The following year, he assumed command of the 3rd Infantry Division, which he led until his retirement in 1925.[10]

Family

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In June 1888, Johnston married Lucille Barat Wilkinson (1869–1917), a great-granddaughter of Major General James Wilkinson.[2][26][a] In 1923, Johnston married Isabelle Gros in Paris, France.[10]

With his first wife, Johnston was the father of a daughter, Genevieve.[2] Genevieve Johnston lived in St. Louis, and became a nun at Villa Duchesne Convent of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis.[2]

Retirement and death

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In retirement, Johnston resided in Nice, France.[10] He died in Nice on February 19, 1933, after he suffered a heart attack while attending a Red Cross ball.[27] A memorial service was held in the chapel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.[28] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and the honorary pallbearers included generals Stephen O. Fuqua, Harry L. Gilchrist, Samuel Hof, Lytle Brown, John W. Gulick, and Oscar Westover.[28]

Notes

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  1. ^ Lucille Wilkinson's ancestry was James Wilkinson (1757–1825) (great-grandfather), Walter Wilkinson (1791–1837) (grandfather), Joseph Pratte Wilkinson (1822–1891) (father).

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Marquis, Albert Nelson, ed. (1921). Who's Who in America. Vol. XI. Chicago, IL: A. M. Marquis & Co. p. 1524 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b c d "Gen. W. J. Johnston, Retired, Dies At 71". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, MO. February 20, 1933. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "St. Louis General is Decorated for Bravery Action". St. Louis Star. St. Louis, MO. January 25, 1919. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Local Intelligence: Prescott Rifles". The Miner. Prescott, AZ. May 12, 1882. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ U.S. Congress (1940). 76th U.S. Congress, Miscellaneous Documents: Increase of Pensions to Sundry Widows. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 80 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "A Congressman's Cadet". New York Herald. New York, NY. February 25, 1883. p. 8 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  7. ^ "Congressman Flower's Cadet". New York Herald. New York, NY. March 1, 1883. p. 5 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  8. ^ "Army Lieutenants From Civil Life". Freeborn County Standard. Albert Lea, MN. July 5, 1883. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Maj.-Gen. Johnston Receives D.S.C." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, MO. January 25, 1919. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-5719-7088-6 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "The Interstate Drill". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. St. Louis, MO. June 23, 1895. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "First-Lieut. William H. Johnston Jr". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, IL. August 31, 1895. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c Washington University: A Catalogue of the Officers and Students in the Law School. St. Louis, MO: C. R. Barns. 1897. pp. 13 (1895), 10 (1896), 8 (1897) – via Internet Archive.
  14. ^ "Typical Commencement Day". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. St. Louis, MO. June 18, 1897. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ United States Secretary of War (1903). Annual Reports of the War Department. Vol. V: Report of the Philippine Commission. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 247 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ a b c d Who Was Who in American History - The Military. Chicago, IL: Marquis Who's Who, Inc. 1975. p. 293. ISBN 9780837932019 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ "Army Officer Guest of Father Keller". The Carthage Press. Carthage, MO. April 15, 1909. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ United States Department of War (1912). Annual Reports of the War Department. Vol. III. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 217 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ "Army–Navy: Army Orders". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. October 1, 1914. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "To Forces Of Land And Sea". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD. November 13, 1914. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b "William Johnston - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor". valor.militarytimes.com.
  22. ^ 91st Division Publication Committee (1919). The Story of the 91st Division. San Francisco, CA: H. S. Crocker Co. pp. 87–88 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Colonel Johnston to Sail". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, OR. July 28, 1920. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ U.S. Army Adjutant General (February 1, 1921). Army List and Directory. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. p. 178 – via Google Books.
  25. ^ U.S. Army Adjutant General (September 1, 1923). Army List and Directory. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. p. 4 – via Google Books.
  26. ^ "Descendants of Madame Chouteau". Genealogy in St. Louis. St. Louis, MO: Dave Lossos. December 30, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  27. ^ "Gen. W. H. Johnston Dies In Nice At 71". St. Louis Star and Times. St. Louis, MO. February 20, 1933. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b "Gen. Johnston Buried". The Sunday Star. Washington, DC. March 26, 1933. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
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