CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: Sid S. Johnson - Smith County, TX *********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 11 April 2002 *********************************************************** TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson SID S. JOHNSON (We feel that we should publish a sketch of the author of 'Texans Who Wore the Gray,' and have selected the following sketch as well worthy of being read by the readers of this book:) - The Publishers. "Captain Sidney Smith Johnson, a veteran of the Third Texas Cavalry, was born in Choctaw county, Mississippi, April 19, 1840. Son of D. M. Johnson and his wife, Adeline Smith Johnson. His grandfather Johnson was a patriot soldier in the war of the Revolution. The family came to Cherokee county, Texas, in 1849, and to Tyler in 1854. On June 9, 1861, Sidney S. enlisted in Tyler in Captain D. Y. Gaines' Company K, of the Third Texas Cavalry, and was elected third lieutenant of his Company. After twelve months' service he was elected captain, and this rank he served during the remainder of the war. West of the Mississippi river he shared the campaigns of his regiment under General Ben, McCuiloch in Arkansas, Indian Territory and Missouri, fighting principally at the historic battles, Oak Hi1l and Elk Horn Tavern. Then crossing the Mississippi he served dismounted, at Corinth during the seige, including the battle of Farmington, and in the fall of 1862 shared the distingushed gallantry of his regiment at Iuka and in the two days assault upon Rosecrans army at Corinth. Then the regiment was remounted and during the remainder of the war he served as Captain of Cavalry in Ross' Brigade, Jackson's Division. He took part in the battles of his command in Mississippi and Tennessee under Van Dorn, including the capture of Holly Springs and the victory at Thompson's Station, and in 1864, took part in the Georgia campaign from Resaca to Atlanta and Jonesboro. He was severely wounded at Lovejoy Station in this campaign, and at other times received slight wounds. In the latter part of 1864 he campaigned in Tennessee under Forrest and W. H. Jackson, and finally closed a worthy and gallant career as a soldier in the spring of 1865. When the war came to an end he and his company were on a well earned furlough, and they disbanded without surrender." The above clear cut comprehensive sketch of the military service of Captain Johnson during the Confederate war is quoted from the Confederate Military History, Vol. XI. The war ended, he was admitted to the bar of Tyler, and remained in the practice of law until 1880, when he became connected with the press of the city, and first and last had charge of different editorial adventures. He was married October 15, 1867, to Miss Zelda Smith, a daughter of Dr. L. W. and Nancy Smith. Dr. Smith was a physician with a lucrative practice and was also a successful planter at his fine home in the Bascom community. Captain and Mrs. Johnson had born to them eight children- one dead. Their eldest son, Sidney S. Johnson, Jr., is a leading lawyer in Tillamook, Oregon; Jozell is the wife of Justin C. Smith, Houston, Texas; Mabel is the wife of Charles G. Burk, Waco, Texas; ldell and Wilhelmena are teachers in the public schools of Tyler; Annie is the wife of Lee McFadden, who is connected with the post office service in Tyler; and his son Carl is at home with the family. Captain and Mrs. Johnson have been unusually fortunate in their children who are well placed and happily situated in life. Sid S. Sr., has seemed to have a very strong predilection for the life and career of a soldier, and he has many of the soldierly instincts and endowments. Before the war between the States, he was the leader of several young men, among them George C. Wimberly, Lewis Goodman and Frank Noble, who went to Brownsville, Texas, and joined the Ranger company of Captain John S. Ford, remaining there seven months in the rough and tumble warfare of the Mexican border. His rise during the first year of the war from the third lieutenancy of his company to its command as captain put the company's stamp of approval upon his courage, tact, resourceulness and fitness to command, and he held his own and commanded the respect of his superiors through all the hard tests and conditions of the war. Indeed he so completely became immersed in military life and service during the war, as to become, like many other typical soldiers, measurably unfitted for civil life ilnd the "piping times of peace." After years of changing occupations and varying fortunes he seemed to become disheartened and drifted into dissipation. But the vital principles of christianity, in which he had been early grounded and innate integrity of purpose seemed never to have failed him, and they at last, furnished him solid ground upon which to plant his feet and reassert his manhood. No man can give a finer proof of inherant integrity and strength of character than to reform his life, and re-establish his character, when all the tendencies of habit seemed to doom him to shipwreck. And this distinction is certainly due Capt. Johnson. As he grows older he becomes better, stronger and more useful to his country. He is a man singularly free from malicious feelings, and has but few animosities or enemies. He has one characteristic in a pre-eminent degree, in these self-seeking times, and that is a disposition to rescue and save from oblivion the records which the worthy men and women of his section have made in war and peace, and to give them enduring form in the literature of his county and state. Hence, in his old age he has taken to authorship and at great pains and personal sacrifice, has gathered and formulated much valuable material for history. He has already published one volume bearing the title of "Some Biographies," etc., and has now a much fuller one entitled "Texans Who Wore the Gray," which has promise of a large and remunerative patronage. ED. W. SMITH, SR.