Johnston de Peyster

Lt. de Peyster raises the Stars and Stripes over the capitol of Richmond, Virginia for the first time since it joined the confederacy in 1861.[8]

Upon his return, he joined the staff of Brigadier General George F. Shepley, commanding the military district of Norfolk.[9] When General Shepley was assigned as Chief of Staff to the XXV Corps commanded by Major General Godfrey Weitzel, de Peyster became an aide to Weitzel, and eventually his chief of staff.[9] The unit de Peyster had originally joined, the 13th New York, was also assigned in the XXV Corps. He is credited with raising the first Union flag over the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia after its fall.[10][11][12][13][14] The flag was the same one that had been raised over the city of New Orleans, Louisiana after its fall.[15] Shepley had been the military Governor of New Orleans, and later the State of Louisiana while it flew there.[6]

Initially, de Peyster had been selected to lead an assault on the breastworks outside the city, however the night before the assault he noticed the city aflame from a signal tower and informed General Weitzel.[16][17] The men of the corps then entered the city unmolested. Admiral David Farragut later claimed that de Peyster was due as much credit as he would have received had he actually taken the city by storming it, because doing it without bloodshed still carried the same intent.[16]

There was some dispute over who raised the first "flag" over the capitol in Richmond after it was learned that a Maj. A.H. Stevens had raised a guidon two hours before de Peyster hoisted the national flag, Ulysses S. Grant eventually declared that de Peyster should receive the credit because a guidon was not really a flag.[18] Despite this, de Peyster's father, a military critic, was highly derogatory when writing about Grant and his achievements.[18] The young lieutenant reflected on the incident in a letter to his mother:[19]

Headquarters, Army of the James

Richmond, April 3, 1865.

My dearest mother,— This morning, about four o'clock, I was got up, just one hour after I retired, with the information that at six we were going to Richmond. At six we started. The rebs had gone at three, along a road strewn with all the munitions of war. Richmond was reached, but the barbarous South had consigned it to flames. The roar of the bursting shells was terrific.

Arriving at the capitol, I sprang from my horse, first unbuckling the stars and stripes, a large flag I had on the front of my saddle. With Captain Langdon, chief of artillery, I rushed up to the roof. Together we hoisted the first large flag over Richmond, and on the peak of the roof drank to its success.

In the capitol I found four flags—three rebel, one ours. I presented them all, as the conqueror, to General Weitzel. I have fulfilled my bet, and put the first large flag over richmond. I found two small guidons, took them down, and returned them to the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, where they belonged. I write from Jeff. Davis's private room.

I remain ever your affection son,

JOHNSTON

For this act, he received a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel of volunteers, "for gallant and meritorious conduct, and for hoisting the first real American flag over Richmond, Va., after its capture by the Union forces, April 3, 1865, and as a testimonial of the zeal, fidelity, and courage with which he had maintained the honor of the State of New York in her efforts to enforce the laws of the United States, supremacy of the constitution, and a republican form of government".[20][21] Shortly thereafter, he received another brevet promotion to colonel, although this order did not mention the flag raising incident. He opted not to go with General Weitzel and the XXV Corps to Texas, but instead resigned in June 1865. He thereafter was associated with Samuel W. Crawford in an unofficial capacity.

After the war, he returned to Tivoli, New York and was active in the American Archaeological Association and the New York Yacht Club. He also joined the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and the General Society of Colonial Wars.

He was an attaché to Daniel Sickles when the former general was appointed Minister to Spain by President Grant.

He was elected to the New York State Assembly from Duchess county in 1889 and reelected for a second term. He then served as Mayor of his native village of Tivoli-on-Hudson for several terms, and President of the New York Society Library.[22] He was active in philanthropy, and made numerous donations to libraries and historical societies.[23][24][25]

Although he shared interests in both philanthropy and military affairs with his father, they eventually had a falling out while Johnston served as a State Assemblyman, and was bitterly opposed by his father in a vote on the 1889 World's Fair Bill.[26] The feud became so heated that while Johnston was Mayor of Tivoli, his father, who owned the building where the town government met, barred his son from entering the building.[27][28] The village government was forced to move to another building and remained there until 1894, when they finally returned to de Peyster's building.[27] Another incident occurred and was reported in the press when Johnston's mother fell ill, and he visited her at the de Peyster family home and was violently assaulted by his father.[26] The father went so far as to run against his son for Mayor of Tivoli in 1900, but was defeated in the general election.[3]