Richard W. Johnson

Richard W. Johnson (February 27, 1827 – April 21, 1897) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Richard Woodhouse Johnson was born in Kentucky on February 27, 1827 in Smithland, Livingston County, Kentucky to James Johnson (1785–1837) and Louisa Harmon Johnson (1790–1837). Johnson married Rachael Elizabeth Steele (1826–April 7, 1891). Their sons were Captain Alfred Bainbridge Johnson (March 31, 1853 – March 18, 1897) and Major Richard Woodhouse Johnson (January 15, 1855 – July 24, 1929).

Johnson graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1849 and up to the time of the American Civil War was employed chiefly on frontier service. In 1861 he was commissioned colonel in the 3rd Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry and soon afterward became a Brigadier General, United States Volunteers. He took part as a cavalry commander in the western campaigns of 1861 and 1862 and on August 21, 1862, was defeated and captured by Colonel John Hunt Morgan, whom he had been sent to drive out of Tennessee.

In the Battle of Stones River Johnson commanded a division on the right flank under Major General Alexander McCook. Johnson's command was flanked from its position by the initial Confederate attack. At the Chickamauga, his division of the XX Corps formed part of the command of General Thomas on the Federal Left. During the battle of Chattanooga, it was one of the divisions that charged up Missionary Ridge. The next year he commanded a division in the Army of the Cumberland during the invasion of Georgia and was severely wounded at the battle of New Hope Church (May 28, 1864).

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