Albert Sidney Johnston, an American soldier, born in Mason co., Ky., in 1803, killed at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862. He graduated at West Point in 1826, and served on frontier duty and in the Black Hawk war till 1834, when he resigned, went to Texas, enlisted as a private soldier, in 1836 became adjutant general, and soon after succeeded Gen. Felix Houston in the chief command of the army of Texas. This led to a duel, in which Johnston was wounded. He was the Texan secretary of war from 1838 to 1840. On the outbreak of the Mexican war he was made colonel of a volunteer regiment of Texan rifles; his regiment having been discharged, he became inspector general on the staff of Gen. W. O. Butler, and was present at the battle of Monterey. From 1846 to 1849 he was engaged as a farmer on the Brazos river. In October, 1849, he reentered the United States army with the rank of major, and served as paymaster till 1855. He was then made colonel of cavalry and placed in command of the department of Texas, which he held till August, 1857, when he took command of the expedition to Utah. In November, 1857, he was made brevet brigadier general for meritorious conduct while in command of the army in that territory.

In January, 1861, he was placed in command of the department of the Pacific, but was superseded in April by Gen. Sumner. He resigned his commission May 3, entered the confederate service, and was placed in command of the division of the West. On the first day of the battle of Shi-loh he received a ball in the leg which severed an artery, and he soon died from loss of blood, Gen. Beauregard succeeding to the command.