DUANE
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Duane's take
Here's my telling of the official marker for Johnson County and the city of Cleburne: straight from the inscription, the way it was meant to be heard. Now, you're rolling through Johnson County, Texas, and this stretch of road carries two names worth knowing; one for the county, one for the city, and both of them belong to Confederate officers whose stories reach from Ireland to Arkansas to the smoke of Franklin, Tennessee. Let's take them one at a time.
The county is named for Colonel Middleton T. Johnson, born 1810, died 1866, a South Carolinian by origin who made his way through Alabama as a legislator before coming to Texas in 1840. Once he got here, he didn't slow down.
He served in the Congress of the Republic of Texas. He rode as a cavalryman in the U.S. War with Mexico.
He worked as a Texas Ranger and as a surveyor of early railroads; a man who seemed to turn up wherever Texas was bein' built or defended. When the war between the states came, Johnson raised the 14th Texas Cavalry regiment himself and took those men to Little Rock in 1862 for induction into Confederate service. He's buried at Mill Creek Cemetery in Arlington, Texas.
And the county he lent his name to? It did not hesitate. Johnson County voted five hundred to fifty for secession in 1861; that is a ten-to-one margin, if you're countin'.
The county soon raised nine companies for Confederate service. The 12th Texas Cavalry regiment out of those rolls served in Arkansas, Louisiana, and along the Texas coast to prevent invasion of Texas. And by late 1863, the remaining eligible men in the western part of the county were placed in state militia to protect the frontier.
Johnson County gave what it had, right down to the last able-bodied man. Now, the city of Cleburne. That name belongs to General Patrick R.
Cleburne, and his story is something else entirely. He was born in 1828, near Cork, Ireland. He came to the United States in 1849.
He worked as a drug clerk in Ohio, then became a lawyer in Arkansas; a long way from County Cork, and he wasn't done travelin' yet. When the war came, he recruited the 1st Arkansas Regiment for the Confederacy, was elected colonel, and then the promotions came fast: brigadier general in March of 1862, major general in December of 1862. The man was rising like a brushfire.
He rapidly earned a reputation as a superb combat officer on numerous fields with the Army of Tennessee. Eight Texas regiments of Granbury's Brigade served under Cleburne, and during the 1864 Atlanta campaign, he said of them, and I want you to hear these words, "The piles of the Union dead were silent but sufficient eulogy upon Granbury and his noble Texans." That is a general who knew how to honor a soldier. But November 30, 1864.
The Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Cleburne, described on this very marker as a savage fighter, met his death six paces from the Federal lines. Six paces.
He had come that far and no further. He became known as the Stonewall Jackson of the West. Two men.
A county and a city. One surveyed railroads through a new land, one crossed an ocean to fight in somebody else's war and nearly reached the enemy's doorstep before he fell. Johnson County, Texas carries both of them, and now you know exactly who you're drivin' through.
What the marker says
County named for Texas Confederate-- Colonel Middleton T. Johnson, 1810-1866 South Carolinian; Legislator Alabama came to Texas 1840. Member Republic of Texas Congress. Cavalryman in U.S. War with Mexico. Texas Ranger surveyor of early railroads. As colonel raised 14th Texas Cavalry regiment, taking them to Little Rock 1862 for induction C.S.A. service. Buried Mill Creek Cemetery, Arlington, Texas. Johnson County voted 500-50 for secession 1861. Soon raised 9 companies for C.S.A. service. 12th Texas Cavalry regt. which served in Arkansas, Louisiana, on Texas coast to prevent invasion Texas. Remaining eligible men western part county placed in state militia late 1863 to protect frontier. City named for Confederate-- General Patrick R. Cleburne 1828-1864 Born near Cork, Ireland came to U.S. 1849. Drug clerk in Ohio, became lawyer in Arkansas. Recruited 1st Arkansas Regt. for Confederacy. Elected colonel. Promoted brigadier general March 1862, made major general Dec. 1862. Rapidly earned reputation as a superb combat officer on numerous fields with army of Tennessee Eight. Texas regiments of Granbury's Brigade were under Cleburne, and in 1864 Atlanta campaign he said, "The piles of the (Union) dead were silent but sufficient eulogy upon Granbury and his noble Texans. "On Nov. 30, 1864 Cleburne, a savage fighter, met death six paces from the Federal lines in battle Franklin, Tenn. Became known as "Stonewall Jackson of the West." Erected by the State of Teas 1963.