By Jarred Marlowe
As we approach the nation’s 250th birthday, I thought I would share with you a story of one of Henry County’s most unsung heroes: the patriot James Johnston.
James Johnston was born in Charlotte County, Virginia, around 1756, though no official record of his birth survives. Little is known about his early life, even the identities of his parents, but his later service in the American Revolution reveals a man trusted for his character and courage.
In November 1776, Johnston left home to enlist in the Continental Army for a three-year term with the 14th Virginia Regiment under Col. Charles Lewis. He soon traveled north to join General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey. On May 1, 1777, Johnston was selected for the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, an elite unit charged with protecting Washington, the army’s funds, and its official papers. These guards were chosen for “sobriety, honesty, and good behavior,” and were expected to be neat and well formed in appearance. Though no portrait of Johnston survives, his selection alone suggests the respect he earned from his officers.
That summer, Johnston served near Middlebrook, New Jersey, where he met the young French volunteer, the Marquis de Lafayette. Johnston admired Lafayette and would serve closely with him for much of the war. Though the Guard was not required to fight, Johnston and others volunteered for combat when needed. He joined Lafayette at the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777, where Lafayette was wounded. Johnston was chosen to accompany him to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and remained there during his recovery.
The army soon went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Conditions were brutal: shortages of food, clothing, and medicine led to widespread sickness and death. Johnston endured the hardships and benefited from the training that transformed the army into a more disciplined force.
In May 1778, Johnston joined a risky reconnaissance mission under Lafayette near Barren Hill, narrowly escaping British capture. A month later, he served with Colonel Daniel Morgan’s riflemen harassing British troops retreating from Philadelphia. Johnston fought at the Battle of Monmouth, where the Continental Army held the field against the British, earning praise from Washington for its steadiness.
After several years as a Life Guard, Johnston was discharged in November 1779 but soon reenlisted. In early 1781, while traveling home on furlough, he learned of General Nathanael Greene’s desperate situation in the southern campaign. The army there lacked trained soldiers, supplies, and clothing. Johnston immediately recruited a dozen experienced Continental veterans and led them south to join Greene. Assigned to train Virginia militia under Col. Robert Munford, Johnston prepared them for the Battle of Guilford Court House in March 1781. While North Carolina militia broke and ran, the Virginians stood firm. Later accounts credited Johnston and his fellow veterans with helping steady the line during the battle.
Not long after, Johnston again volunteered to serve under Lafayette during the Virginia campaign against British forces commanded by Cornwallis. That campaign ended with the siege of Yorktown in the fall of 1781. On the night of October 14, Johnston took part in the assault on Redoubt No. 10, a key British fortification. The attack succeeded, but Johnston was wounded in the knee. While recovering in a hospital, his knapsack—containing his discharge papers—was stolen, leaving him without proof of service.
After the war, Johnston settled around Turkeycock Mountain in Henry County, Virginia, and married Joice Wells in 1789. They raised several children and lived quietly in the Mountain Valley area. When Congress later offered pensions to Revolutionary War veterans, Johnston had to rely on sworn statements from fellow soldiers to prove his service. His pension was finally approved, preserving his story for future generations.
James Johnston died in 1841 or 1842. He and his wife are buried in the Johnston family cemetery in Axton, Virginia. Though never famous, Johnston’s long and faithful service—from guarding Washington to storming Yorktown—marks him as one of the many ordinary soldiers whose bravery helped secure American independence.
Jarred Marlowe is a local resident and historian. He is a member of the Col. George Waller Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Blue & Gray Education Society, and the committee chair for the Martinsville-Henry County 250 Committee. He may be reached at marloweja15@gmail.com.
