ston ▁gr ieved ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁John ston ▁was ▁an ▁engineer ▁on ▁the ▁Texas - Un ited ▁States ▁boundary ▁survey ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 ; ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁area , ▁appointed ▁as ▁chief ▁top ographical ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Texas , ▁and ▁serving ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁he ▁sought ▁his ▁previous ▁rank , ▁sending ▁letters ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁suggesting ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁be ▁returned ▁to ▁a ▁combat ▁regiment ▁with ▁his ▁w art ime ▁rank ▁of ▁colon el . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War ▁Jefferson ▁Davis , ▁an ▁acquaint ance ▁of ▁John ston ' s ▁from ▁West ▁Point , ▁re buff ed ▁these ▁suggestions , ▁as ▁he ▁did ▁later ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁much ▁to ▁John ston ' s ▁ir rit ation . ▁Despite ▁this ▁disag re ement , ▁Davis ▁thought ▁enough ▁of ▁John ston ▁to ▁appoint ▁him ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁reg iments , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁U . S . ▁Caval ry ▁at ▁Fort ▁Le aven worth , ▁Kansas , ▁under ▁Col . ▁Ed win ▁V . ▁" B ull " ▁Sum ner , ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 5 5 . ▁( At ▁this ▁same ▁time , ▁Robert ▁E . ▁Lee ▁was ▁appointed ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁U . S . ▁Caval ry ▁under ▁Col . ▁Albert ▁Sid ney ▁John ston ▁(