▁could ▁have ▁prolong ed ▁the ▁war ▁a ▁year ▁beyond ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁it ▁finally ▁did ▁close , ▁would ▁probably ▁have ▁exha usted ▁the ▁North ▁to ▁such ▁an ▁extent ▁that ▁they ▁might ▁then ▁have ▁abandoned ▁the ▁contest ▁and ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁settlement . ▁ ▁John ston ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁Mexican ▁G ulf ▁Canal ▁Company , ▁a ▁canal ▁project ▁approved ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁It ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁canal ▁west ward ▁from ▁the ▁St . ▁Mary s ▁River ▁in ▁Georgia ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Florida . ▁ ▁John ston ▁moved ▁from ▁Sav ann ah ▁to ▁Richmond ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 6 – 7 7 . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 6 th ▁Congress ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic ▁con gress man , ▁having ▁been ▁elected ▁with ▁ 5 8 . 1 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁over ▁Green back ▁William ▁W . ▁New man . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁run ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁commission er ▁of ▁rail ro ads ▁in ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁President ▁Gro ver ▁Cleveland . ▁After ▁his ▁wife ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁John ston ▁frequently ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁veter ans ' ▁gather ings , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁univers ally ▁che ered . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁a