Brigadier General Herbert Thomas Johnson (January 27, 1872 – November 4, 1942) was a military officer who served as

Adjutant General An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

of the

Vermont National Guard The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Together, they are collectively known as the Green Mountain Boys. Both units use the original Revolutionary War-era Flag of the Green Mo ...

Early life

Herbert T. Johnson was born in

Bradford, Vermont Bradford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2020 census. Bradford is located on the county's eastern border, bordering both the Connecticut River and New Hampshire, and is a commercial center for ...

on January 27, 1872. He was educated in local schools, graduated from Bradford Academy, and became a

dairy farmer Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history that ...

and cattle breeder as the owner of Bradford's Stonecliff Farms. Johnson was also an organizer of the

Guernsey Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency. It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...

Breeders Association and served as its president. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, he served in local offices including Lister,

Audit An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon.” Auditing ...

or and

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

Spanish–American War

In 1889, while still in

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, Johnson enlisted in

Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

G, 1st Vermont Infantry Regiment. He rose to the rank of

sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the ...

by 1892, and received his commission as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in January 1894. Johnson was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and commander of Company G in 1896, and mustered into service for the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

in May 1898. Federalized as the 1st Vermont Volunteer Infantry, Johnson's regiment served at Camp Thomas near

Chickamauga, Georgia Chickamauga is a city in Walker County, Georgia, Walker County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 2,917 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, TN–GA Chattanooga metropo ...

Rossville, Georgia Rossville is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,980 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History A post office has been in operation at Rossville since ...

and

Fort Ethan Allen Fort Ethan Allen was a United States Army installation in Vermont, named for American Revolutionary War figure Ethan Allen. Established as a cavalry post in 1894 and closed in 1944, today it is the center of a designated national historic distric ...

, Vermont before mustering out at the end of the war.

Continued military service

Johnson remained in the 1st Vermont Regiment following the war. He was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and commander of the regiment's 3rd

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

in 1899,

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

in 1910 and

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

and commander of the First Vermont Infantry Regiment in 1914.

World War I

Johnson retired from the National Guard in 1915, but remained active in the Vermont State Guard, a volunteer home guard organization. In 1917 he was appointed to organize and command the 1st Vermont Militia Regiment, a home guard unit. Later that year he was appointed acting adjutant general, succeeding

Lee Stephen Tillotson Lee Stephen Tillotson (December 8, 1874 – July 18, 1957) was a Vermont military officer and attorney who served as Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard. Early life Lee S. Tillotson was born on December 8, 1874, in Bakersfield, Vermo ...

, who resigned to join the

regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregulars, irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenary, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the ...

for

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Johnson served as adjutant general throughout the war, and was responsible for mobilizing and transporting National Guard members, enlistees and draftees from Vermont to initial entry centers for in processing and training before departing for France. He also oversaw operations of the home guard which assumed many of the Vermont National Guard's duties while the National Guard was overseas. Following the war, Johnson and his staff were also responsible for receiving newly discharged soldiers back in Vermont, and for reorganizing the National Guard.

Later military career

In the 1919 election for adjutant general, Tillotson sought to reclaim the post he had held prior to the war. Johnson defeated Tillotson, and continued to serve as adjutant general. (Vermont's adjutant general is elected to a two-year term by the

Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...

. At the time, elections were held in February of each odd-numbered year, and the term started in March.) Tillotson returned to the Army, and served until retiring as a colonel in 1938. As Adjutant General Johnson oversaw the construction of 12 new armories, modernization of the Vermont National Guard after World War I, and the Vermont National Guard's response to the Flood of 1927. In 1924 Johnson graduated from the

United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military offic ...

, the first state adjutant general to do so. At the start of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Johnson was appointed Vermont's federal Director of Selective Service, responsible for ensuring that eligible men registered for the draft. He continued to serve until 1941, when he retired because of ill health and was succeeded by Murdock A. Campbell. His 24 years in the position make him Vermont's second longest-serving adjutant general, behind only the first holder of the post,

David Fay David Fay (December 13, 1761June 5, 1827) was a Vermont judge and militia officer who served on the Vermont Supreme Court and as Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia. Early life David Fay was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts on December 13, ...

. Johnson was an active member of the Adjutants General Association of the United States (AGAUS) and served as its president.

Death and burial

Johnson died at the

Vermont State House The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, is the state capitol of the U.S. state of Vermont. It is the seat of the Vermont General Assembly. The current Greek Revival structure is the third building on the same site to be used as the Sta ...

on November 4, 1942, while meeting with Governor William Wills to discuss the Vermont National Guard's mobilization for World War II and plans to form a home guard that would take on the National Guard's state duties during the war. He was buried at Bradford's Upper Plain Cemetery. General Johnson's grave is near that of

William H. Gilmore William Harrison Gilmore (October 17, 1839 – April 18, 1910) was a Vermont political and military figure. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives, the Vermont State Senate and as Adjutant General of the Vermont Militia. Biography ...

, one of Johnson's predecessors as adjutant general.

Family

In 1895 Johnson married Myra Luella Burbeck (1876–1951) in

Danvers, Massachusetts Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts. The suburb is a fairly short ride from Boston and is also in close proximity to the renowned beaches of Glo ...

. Their children included Ruth Burbeck Johnson Tompkins (1898–1982), Thomas Herbert Johnson (1902–1985), and Edward Carleton Johnson (1904–1928). Ruth Burbeck Johnson was a

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

graduate. She was the first wife of Francis Parker Tompkins, a career Army officer who attained the rank of colonel. Thomas Herbert Johnson was a teacher and a recognized expert on the life and works of

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massach ...

. Edward Carleton Johnson was a salesman and a lieutenant in the Vermont National Guard when he died after the onset of

Polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

Naming of Vermont National Guard Headquarters

The Vermont National Guard's main site is Camp Johnson in Colchester. In 1894 the Vermont General Assembly authorized purchase of a portion of

as a National Guard training site, and the National Guard used the location to muster troops during the Spanish–American War. In 1900 the Vermont National Guard took permanent possession. This site, christened the State Military Reservation, was used for both individual and unit training and as a staging area for mobilizations. After the Spanish–American War the site was called Camp

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

after the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

George Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...

, a Vermont native. In later years the camp was named after successive

Governors A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...

. In 1945 the State Reservation was renamed Camp Johnson to honor Herbert T. Johnson, recognizing his service as the adjutant general who led Vermont's military during the world wars and the period in between.Vermont General Assembly
Farewell Address, Governor William Wills
January 4, 1945, page 3

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Herbert Thomas 1872 births 1942 deaths People from Bradford, Vermont American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of World War I United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army War College alumni National Guard (United States) generals United States Army officers Vermont Republicans Burials in Vermont Vermont National Guard personnel United States Army personnel of World War I Military personnel from Vermont