General Joseph E. Johnston was a prominent Confederate general during the American Civil War. Born on February 3, 1807, in Virginia, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829. Johnston served in various military roles before the Civil War, including in the Mexican-American War. During the Civil War, Johnston commanded Confederate forces in several key battles, including the First Battle of Bull Run and the Atlanta Campaign. He was known for his strategic defensive tactics and was often in conflict with other Confederate leaders, including General Robert E. Lee. Johnston surrendered his army to Union General William T. Sherman in April 1865.