governor april confederate governor kentucky lawyer turned farmer kentucky johnson favored means preventing civil war believing forces equal strength wary attack political sentiment commonwealth took decidedly union turn following elections johnson instrumental organizing sovereignty convention kentucky intent forever connection convention created confederate shadow government commonwealth johnson elected governor despite political experience having previously served years johnson ensure success shadow government kentucky admitted confederacy december shadow government influence commonwealth extended far advanced abandoned confederate capital governor johnson government officials accompanied despite advanced age crippled arm johnson volunteered military service general army johnson killed battle making state governor union confederate fall battle civil war succeeded second governor early life career born near georgetown kentucky son major william major johnson died soon close war participant home stepfather johnson received degrees august married daughter captain couple children seven lived adulthood johnson briefly practiced law georgetown decided preferred farming owned acre km2 farm near georgetown acre km2 plantation arkansas johnson elected democrat offered nominations lieutenant governor congressman declined august johnson headed committee seized abolitionist printing press shipped cincinnati ohio civil war supported president feel abraham_lincoln election justified republicans controlled congress supreme_court formed johnson began lose hope kentucky union instead began advocate kentucky join confederacy believing union confederate nations evenly matched consider war negotiate free trade agreement benefit johnson traveled richmond virginia ask respect kentucky neutrality civil war following near sweep kentucky state federal elections union nelson established union recruiting camp southern saw breach commonwealth neutrality called state rights convention september johnson delegates seventy kentucky counties attended convention delegates elected chair called restoration kentucky neutrality war condemned federal government invasion minute effort prevent kentucky aiding union unsuccessful johnson known southern fled virginia avoid potential arrest union forces virginia johnson traveled tennessee despite age crippled arm volunteered aid general october group johnson met kentucky discuss formation confederate government commonwealth believing government represent majority kentucky citizens johnson chaired committee authored convention final report personally introduced key resolutions report called sovereignty convention ties federal government johnson notable members committee arrangements convention november delegates representing kentucky counties convened days shadow government established temporary capital johnson unanimously chosen governor new confederate state confederate governor november johnson wrote confederate president request kentucky admission confederacy davis reservation elected general_assembly forming confederate government concluded johnson request merit kentucky admitted confederacy december winter johnson tried assert legitimacy fledgling government avail jurisdiction extended far area controlled johnson came short raising troops requested richmond efforts levy taxes citizens turn guns government similarly unsuccessful january johnson requested sum million meet provisional government operating expenses congress instead approved sum million expenditure required approval secretary president davis sustain provisional government johnson lack hearing family weighed heavily family member contact son madison joined cavalry johnson admired respected morgan pleased son chosen serve requested letter wife send year old son serve despite johnson ensure son safety wife refused request johnson practice avoid interference military decisions supported morgan request light artillery pieces command contrast consistently opposed command general trying repeatedly unsuccessfully removed unclear military influence johnson position governor enjoyed relationship confederate generals death battle general forced withdraw troops february confederate state government moved army tennessee april general attacked union army tennessee battle governor johnson served volunteer aide colonel horse killed johnson fought foot company fourth kentucky infantry regiment insisted sworn private declared good night rest ready fight tomorrow day governor johnson seriously wounded right thigh abdomen lay wounded battlefield morning recognized union general johnson attended johnson taken aboard union hospital ship despite physicians died april friends union army including general packed johnson body salt shipped louisville georgetown burial
George W. Johnson (governor)