1995 32c Civil War: Joseph E. Johnston
# 2975m FDC - 1995 32c Civil War: Joseph E. Johnston
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U.S. #2975m
1995 32¢ Joseph E. Johnston
Civil War
- Issued for the 130th anniversary of the Civil War
- From the second pane in the Classic Collections Series
- Declared the most popular stamps of 1995 by the USPS
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Civil War 130th Anniversary
Value: 32¢, rate for first-class mail
First Day of Issue: June 29, 1995
First Day City: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Quantity Issued: 15,000,000
Printed by: Stamp Venturers
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 20 in sheets of 120
Perforations: 10.1
Why the stamp was issued: To mark the 130th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.
About the stamp design: The Civil War stamps featured artwork by Mark Hess, who had previously produced the artwork for the Legends of the West sheet. The USPS explained that they liked his painting style because of its “folksy stiffness,” that “emulates people standing uncomfortably in front of daguerreotype cameras.”
The Joseph E. Johnston portrait was based on a photo of the commander from the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia. He expanded the portrait to show Johnston looking up from a map while at Kennesaw Mountain.
First Day City: The official first day ceremony was held at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, the site of one of the war’s most famous battles. Because they received a large number of requests, the USPS made the stamps available for sale across the country the same day.
Unusual facts about the Civil War stamps: The Civil War sheet was available by mail order in uncut press sheets of six panes. Of these, 20,000 were signed by stamp artist Mark Hess. The USPS also produced a set of postcards featuring the same images as the stamps (US #UX200-19). Imperforate and partially imperforate error panes have also been found.
About the Civil War Stamps: The Civil War stamp sheet featured 16 individuals – eight from the Union and eight from the Confederacy. The four battles in the corners included one victory for each side and two that are considered draws.
This was the second sheet in the Classic Collections Series following the famed Legends of the West sheet. Stamps in this series follow a similar format – 20 stamps, a decorative header, and information about each stamp printed on its back under the gum.
Plans for the Civil War sheet began while the 1994 Legends of the West sheet was still in its planning stage. The USPS believed that the Civil War was a natural addition to the new series and would be informational for the public. Initially the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee rejected the idea, saying they should wait 20 years for the 50th anniversary of the war. But they were eventually swayed and the Civil War stamps were created. A group of historians were tasked with making a list of protentional subjects and Shelby Foote was hired to make the final selections. Foote was an expert in the Civil War, having written a three-volume history of the war and been featured in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary series on the war.
The USPS wanted the Civil War stamps to have more action to them – so only the two presidents were depicted in traditional portraits. The rest of the individuals were placed in the field or amidst an activity. After the Legends of the West mix-up, in which the Bill Pickett stamp mistakenly pictured his brother Ben, the USPS completely revamped their research process. The release of the 20 Civil War stamps marked the most extensive effort in the history of the USPS to review and verify the historical accuracy of stamp subjects. As Hess completed each version of his paintings, they were sent to a panel of experts who commented on the historical accuracy of everything from the weather to belt buckles.
Some of the people and battles featured in the Civil War sheet had appeared on US stamps before. This was also the second time the Civil War was honored – a set of five stamps (US #1178-82) was issued for the centennial in the 1960s. And from 2011-15, the USPS issued a series of stamps for the war’s 150th anniversary (US #4522/4981).
History the stamp represents: Joseph E. Johnston was born on February 3, 1807, in Farmville, Virginia. He was named for Major Joseph Eggleston, the Revolutionary War captain his father once served with under the command of “Lighthorse Harry” Henry Lee. His great-uncle was Patrick Henry.
With these connections, Johnston was appointed to West Point in 1825, where he trained as a civil engineer. Service in the Black Hawk, Second Seminole, and Mexican-American Wars followed. During his early career, Johnston became a close friend and mentor of George McClellan. In 1860, Johnston was promoted to brigadier general and named quartermaster of the U.S. Army.
Johnston opposed secession. However, he resigned his U.S. Army commission in April 1861 when his home state of Virginia joined the Confederacy. As a brigadier general and quartermaster general of the U.S. Army, Joseph Johnston was the highest-ranking Federal officer to defect to the Confederacy. Johnston then joined the Confederate army and was appointed brigadier general. His first responsibility was to command forces at Harpers Ferry.
Shortly after the war began in earnest, Johnston reinforced General P.G.T. Beauregard and scored a complete victory over Union forces at the First Battle of Bull Run. Johnston was promoted to general for his role in the rout, but earned the wrath of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who faulted him for not pursuing the Union Army as they fled the battlefield. Although he had been the most senior officer to join the rebel cause, Johnston’s Confederate rank of general placed him beneath three others.
In spite of the animosity with Davis, Johnston led the Confederate Army of the Potomac during 1862 Peninsula Campaign. On May 31, he prevented McClellan’s advance at the Battle of Seven Pines but was badly wounded. During Johnston’s lengthy recovery, Robert E. Lee was placed in charge and drove McClellan from Virginia.
In the fall of 1862, Johnston was placed in command of the Western Theater where forces under Ulysses S. Grant were threatening to take Mississippi. Johnston evacuated the state capital of Jackson and tried to join General John C. Pemberton, who was attempting to hold the important Mississippi River city of Vicksburg. Because of Grant’s overwhelming advantage, Johnston ordered Pemberton to relinquish control of the city. Davis, however, directed Pemberton to hold the city at all cost. Pemberton’s army was forced to surrender on July 4, 1863, giving the Union control of Vicksburg.
Although he was widely criticized for his actions in Mississippi, Johnston replaced General Braxton Bragg and was given control of the Army of Tennessee. His mission was to stop General William T. Sherman’s march to Atlanta. Again, Johnston tried to preserve his army by retreating strategically. Although he was victorious at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Johnston wasn’t able to stop Sherman’s advance. Davis replaced him with General John Bell, eventually ordering Johnston to command the Army of Tennessee in North Carolina. Johnston’s troops were defeated at the Battle of Bentonville in March 1865 and surrendered after learning Lee had done the same at Appomattox.
Johnston made his home in Savannah, Georgia, after the war. He worked as an insurance agent and railroad president. A few years later, Johnston wrote his memoirs and moved to Richmond. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for a single term before being appointed U.S. commissioner of railroads by President Grover Cleveland.
In February 1891, Johnston served as a pallbearer for his former adversary, Sherman. As a show of respect, Johnston stood at attention in the cold rain without a hat during the service. “If I were in his place and he were standing here in mine, he would not put on his hat,” he told a concerned friend. Johnston caught cold that day, developed pneumonia, and died a few weeks later on March 21, 1891.
U.S. #2975m
1995 32¢ Joseph E. Johnston
Civil War
- Issued for the 130th anniversary of the Civil War
- From the second pane in the Classic Collections Series
- Declared the most popular stamps of 1995 by the USPS
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Civil War 130th Anniversary
Value: 32¢, rate for first-class mail
First Day of Issue: June 29, 1995
First Day City: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Quantity Issued: 15,000,000
Printed by: Stamp Venturers
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 20 in sheets of 120
Perforations: 10.1
Why the stamp was issued: To mark the 130th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.
About the stamp design: The Civil War stamps featured artwork by Mark Hess, who had previously produced the artwork for the Legends of the West sheet. The USPS explained that they liked his painting style because of its “folksy stiffness,” that “emulates people standing uncomfortably in front of daguerreotype cameras.”
The Joseph E. Johnston portrait was based on a photo of the commander from the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia. He expanded the portrait to show Johnston looking up from a map while at Kennesaw Mountain.
First Day City: The official first day ceremony was held at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, the site of one of the war’s most famous battles. Because they received a large number of requests, the USPS made the stamps available for sale across the country the same day.
Unusual facts about the Civil War stamps: The Civil War sheet was available by mail order in uncut press sheets of six panes. Of these, 20,000 were signed by stamp artist Mark Hess. The USPS also produced a set of postcards featuring the same images as the stamps (US #UX200-19). Imperforate and partially imperforate error panes have also been found.
About the Civil War Stamps: The Civil War stamp sheet featured 16 individuals – eight from the Union and eight from the Confederacy. The four battles in the corners included one victory for each side and two that are considered draws.
This was the second sheet in the Classic Collections Series following the famed Legends of the West sheet. Stamps in this series follow a similar format – 20 stamps, a decorative header, and information about each stamp printed on its back under the gum.
Plans for the Civil War sheet began while the 1994 Legends of the West sheet was still in its planning stage. The USPS believed that the Civil War was a natural addition to the new series and would be informational for the public. Initially the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee rejected the idea, saying they should wait 20 years for the 50th anniversary of the war. But they were eventually swayed and the Civil War stamps were created. A group of historians were tasked with making a list of protentional subjects and Shelby Foote was hired to make the final selections. Foote was an expert in the Civil War, having written a three-volume history of the war and been featured in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary series on the war.
The USPS wanted the Civil War stamps to have more action to them – so only the two presidents were depicted in traditional portraits. The rest of the individuals were placed in the field or amidst an activity. After the Legends of the West mix-up, in which the Bill Pickett stamp mistakenly pictured his brother Ben, the USPS completely revamped their research process. The release of the 20 Civil War stamps marked the most extensive effort in the history of the USPS to review and verify the historical accuracy of stamp subjects. As Hess completed each version of his paintings, they were sent to a panel of experts who commented on the historical accuracy of everything from the weather to belt buckles.
Some of the people and battles featured in the Civil War sheet had appeared on US stamps before. This was also the second time the Civil War was honored – a set of five stamps (US #1178-82) was issued for the centennial in the 1960s. And from 2011-15, the USPS issued a series of stamps for the war’s 150th anniversary (US #4522/4981).
History the stamp represents: Joseph E. Johnston was born on February 3, 1807, in Farmville, Virginia. He was named for Major Joseph Eggleston, the Revolutionary War captain his father once served with under the command of “Lighthorse Harry” Henry Lee. His great-uncle was Patrick Henry.
With these connections, Johnston was appointed to West Point in 1825, where he trained as a civil engineer. Service in the Black Hawk, Second Seminole, and Mexican-American Wars followed. During his early career, Johnston became a close friend and mentor of George McClellan. In 1860, Johnston was promoted to brigadier general and named quartermaster of the U.S. Army.
Johnston opposed secession. However, he resigned his U.S. Army commission in April 1861 when his home state of Virginia joined the Confederacy. As a brigadier general and quartermaster general of the U.S. Army, Joseph Johnston was the highest-ranking Federal officer to defect to the Confederacy. Johnston then joined the Confederate army and was appointed brigadier general. His first responsibility was to command forces at Harpers Ferry.
Shortly after the war began in earnest, Johnston reinforced General P.G.T. Beauregard and scored a complete victory over Union forces at the First Battle of Bull Run. Johnston was promoted to general for his role in the rout, but earned the wrath of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who faulted him for not pursuing the Union Army as they fled the battlefield. Although he had been the most senior officer to join the rebel cause, Johnston’s Confederate rank of general placed him beneath three others.
In spite of the animosity with Davis, Johnston led the Confederate Army of the Potomac during 1862 Peninsula Campaign. On May 31, he prevented McClellan’s advance at the Battle of Seven Pines but was badly wounded. During Johnston’s lengthy recovery, Robert E. Lee was placed in charge and drove McClellan from Virginia.
In the fall of 1862, Johnston was placed in command of the Western Theater where forces under Ulysses S. Grant were threatening to take Mississippi. Johnston evacuated the state capital of Jackson and tried to join General John C. Pemberton, who was attempting to hold the important Mississippi River city of Vicksburg. Because of Grant’s overwhelming advantage, Johnston ordered Pemberton to relinquish control of the city. Davis, however, directed Pemberton to hold the city at all cost. Pemberton’s army was forced to surrender on July 4, 1863, giving the Union control of Vicksburg.
Although he was widely criticized for his actions in Mississippi, Johnston replaced General Braxton Bragg and was given control of the Army of Tennessee. His mission was to stop General William T. Sherman’s march to Atlanta. Again, Johnston tried to preserve his army by retreating strategically. Although he was victorious at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Johnston wasn’t able to stop Sherman’s advance. Davis replaced him with General John Bell, eventually ordering Johnston to command the Army of Tennessee in North Carolina. Johnston’s troops were defeated at the Battle of Bentonville in March 1865 and surrendered after learning Lee had done the same at Appomattox.
Johnston made his home in Savannah, Georgia, after the war. He worked as an insurance agent and railroad president. A few years later, Johnston wrote his memoirs and moved to Richmond. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for a single term before being appointed U.S. commissioner of railroads by President Grover Cleveland.
In February 1891, Johnston served as a pallbearer for his former adversary, Sherman. As a show of respect, Johnston stood at attention in the cold rain without a hat during the service. “If I were in his place and he were standing here in mine, he would not put on his hat,” he told a concerned friend. Johnston caught cold that day, developed pneumonia, and died a few weeks later on March 21, 1891.