Part I

Emerging Revolutionary War welcomes back guest historians Lori Amos Doss & Jarred Marlowe

Part 2: A Veteran in the Southern Campaign and the Road to Yorktown

In early 1781, after years of nearly continuous service, James Johnston finally set out for home on furlough. It must have been a long-awaited journey. Yet before he could reach his destination, events once again pulled him back into the war.

While passing through Prince Edward County, Virginia, Johnston learned of the difficult situation facing General Nathanael Greene in the South. British forces under Lord Cornwallis were pressing hard, and Greene’s army was in poor condition. Supplies were scarce, clothing was inadequate, and many of the soldiers were inexperienced militia. Previous defeats at Charleston and Camden had weakened the Continental presence in the region, leaving Greene with a force that struggled to match the discipline of British regulars.

Johnston understood the danger. Rather than continue home, he took action. Drawing on his experience in the northern campaigns, he recruited twelve veteran soldiers who had completed their terms of service. Together, they traveled south to join Greene. Their arrival was timely. Greene assigned them as adjutants to officers commanding Virginia militia, where their role was to help bring order and discipline to units that often lacked both.

Time was short. Cornwallis was advancing, and a major confrontation was approaching. Johnston worked to train the militia as best he could, instilling in them the habits and expectations of seasoned soldiers. The results became clear at the Battle of Guilford Court House on March 15, 1781.

Greene arranged his army in three lines. The North Carolina militia formed the first, the Virginia militia the second, and Continental regulars the third. When the British advanced, the North Carolina militia broke quickly, some retreating without firing. The Virginia militia, however, held their ground. They fought with determination and inflicted significant casualties on the advancing British.

Although Greene eventually ordered a withdrawal, the battle came at a high cost for Cornwallis. His army suffered heavy losses, weakening his campaign in the South. Later observers noted the steadiness of the Virginia militia, and some accounts credited Johnston and his fellow veterans with helping prepare them for that moment.

After the battle, Johnston returned home at last, reuniting briefly with his family after years away. But the war was not yet finished, and his rest did not last long. Within days, he learned that Lafayette was now operating in Virginia and facing British forces under William Phillips and Benedict Arnold. Once again, Johnston chose to return to service.

The campaign that followed would lead to Yorktown. In May 1781, Cornwallis entered Virginia and attempted to trap Lafayette, reportedly dismissing him as “the boy.” Yet Lafayette avoided capture, skillfully maneuvering his forces until larger American and French armies could converge.

By September, Washington and the French commander Rochambeau had marched south. Cornwallis, now positioned at Yorktown, found himself increasingly isolated. The allied armies began their siege on September 28, tightening their grip on British defenses.

One of the most critical moments came on the night of October 14, when American forces moved to capture Redoubt Number 10. Johnston was among those who took part in the assault under Lafayette’s command. The troops advanced in silence with unloaded muskets, relying on speed and surprise. The attack was swift and decisive. The redoubt fell quickly, removing a key defensive position and bringing the siege closer to its conclusion.

Johnston was wounded in the knee during the assault. The injury was serious enough to leave him weakened, and he was taken to a hospital for treatment. Conditions there were poor, as they often were during the war. Overcrowding, disease, and neglect made hospitals dangerous places. While recovering, Johnston suffered another blow when his knapsack was stolen, along with the papers that proved his service.

Frustrated and distrustful of the hospital, he chose to leave. With the help of a fellow soldier, he slowly made his way home, traveling first to Richmond and then onward to his family.

After the war, Johnston settled in Henry County, Virginia. In 1789, he married Joice Wells, and together they built a life in the Mountain Valley area. They raised a family and lived quietly in the years that followed.

Yet the loss of his papers created lasting difficulties. When Congress later authorized pensions for Revolutionary War veterans, Johnston had no official documentation to support his claim. Instead, he relied on testimony from fellow soldiers who could confirm his service. After a lengthy process, his claim was approved, and he was granted a pension.

James Johnston died in the early 1840s. He and his wife are buried in Axton, Virginia. His story is not widely known, but it is representative of many who served. He was not a famous officer or a celebrated figure. He was a soldier who answered the call repeatedly, served where he was needed, and played a meaningful role in some of the war’s most important moments.

Endnotes:

Avery, Elroy Mrs. ed. “Copy of a Letter From James Johnston, A Revolutionary Soldier, to General William H. Harrison”. The American Monthly Magazine 37 (1910), 235-237.

Babits, Lawrence Edward and Joshua B. Howard. Long, obstinate, and bloody: the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Eichner, L.G., M.D. “The Military Practice of Medicine During the Revolutionary War.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly 41.1 (2004), 25-32. 15 May 2011 .

Farmer, Lydia Hoyt. The Life of La Fayette, The Knight of Liberty in Two Worlds and Two Centuries. New York: Thomas Y. Cromwell & Co., 1888.

Godfrey, Carlos. The Commander-in-Chief’s Guard. Washington, DC: Stevenson-Smith Company, 1904.

Golway, Terry. Washington’s General, Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of the American Revolution. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2005.

Hannah, George. Letter to Virginia Legislature. Aug 3, 1826. Richmond: Library of Virginia. Microfilm Reel No. 89.

Johnston, James. Letter to Virginia Legislature. Dec. 14, 1835. Richmond: Library of Virginia. Microfilm Reel No. 89.

Johnston, James. Letter to Virginia Legislature. Oct 23, 1826. Richmond: Library of Virginia. Microfilm Reel No. 89.

Pension file W7935, Johnston, Joice, Revolutionary War, HeritageQuest.com, File W7935, May 15, 2011.

Southern, Ed, ed. Voices of the American Revolution in the Carolinas. Winston-Salem: John F. Blair Publisher, 2009.

The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition, ed. Theodore J. Crackel, et al, Charlotte: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2007-.

Wright, Robert K., Jr. The Continental Army. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1983.

Will of Joice Johnston recorded in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Henry County, Virginia in Will Book 5, page 611.

Author Bios:
Lori Amos Doss is a homeschool mother and homemaker living in Callands, Virginia. She enjoys history as a hobby and has completed several biographical research projects on her ancestors. Her original research and narrative on her ancestor, James Johnston, serves as the foundation for these articles.

Jarred Marlowe is a local historian who grew up outside of Danville but now lives in Collinsville with his wife and two daughters. He is a past president of the Colonel George Waller, SAR Chapter, a former board member of the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society, and is a social media coordinator for the Blue & Gray Education Society. He co-operates the “History in Sight” YouTube page with Andy Doss. Jarred holds degrees from the Virginia Military Institute and Johnson University and currently works in the credit department for Carter Bank.