Robert Daniel Johnston the Petersburg trenches to rejoin Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. During his time at Petersburg, Johnston briefly commanded the division and served on detached duty attempting to catch deserters. Following the war Johnston resumed his law practice in North Carolina and eventually became a banker in Alabama. Johnston married Elizabeth Johnston "Johnsie" Evans, who founded the Alabama Boys' Industrial School. They had nine children. He was the father of Medal of Honor recipient Gordon Johnston. Robert Daniel Johnston Robert Daniel Johnston (March 19, 1837 – February 1, 1919) was a brigadier general for the Confederate States of
Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1862 was transported to Fort Monroe in April to begin an offensive against Richmond, Virginia. Convinced that he was outnumbered by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston, McClellan advanced cautiously, taking nearly a month to capture the Confederate defensive works near Yorktown and an additional month to march westward and arrive just outside Richmond. Here on May 31, Johnston attacked an isolated portion of the Union army in the Battle of Seven Pines; Johnston's plan failed, due to uncoordinated attacks and to Confederate columns which failed to arrive at their assigned positions, and Johnston was