George
Washington
Johnson

May 27, 1811 - April 8, 1862

Scott County, Kentucky

Confederate Governor of Kentucky, War Between the States. When Kentucky sided with the Union in 1861, a group of counties formed a government loyal to the Confederate States, and George Johnson was elected governor of Confederate Kentucky in November 1861. In February 1862 his government went into exile. He traveled with the Kentucky troops in the Confederate Army, and during the battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, he took up a musket and enlisted as a Private in the 4th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry of the famous Kentucky "Orphan Brigade" CSA. He was mortally wounded on 7 April 1862, when the 4th Kentucky Infantry was opposed by parts of two Federal brigades, and lost nearly 50% casualties. Gov. Johnson died the next day at a field hospital in Federal captivity.

Grave