Keeping Up With the CSA Jones’

[Battleline]

Brig. Gen. William E. Jones (b. 1824, d. 1864) William Edmondson “Grumble” Jones once was called the “best outpost officer” in the Army of Northern Virginia and rendered effective cavalry command throughout the Civil War. Controversial, Jones was said to be cantankerous and sharp-tounged. He was loved by his men and respected by Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee, but much of his cavalry career was tinged with a feud with J.E.B Stuart. Jones was born May 9, 1824, in Washington County, Virginia, near the Middle Fork of the Holston River. After education at Emory and Henry College, Jones received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1848 (10th of 38). He married in 1852, but his bride died in a shipwreck off the Texas coast. He served on the frontier until 1857, when he resigned and settled near Glade Spring Depot, Virginia. When war came, Jones organized the Washington Mounted Rifles and was elected the unit’s captain. This unit was placed under Stuart’s command in the First Manassas Campaign (July 16-22, 1861). The feud with Stuart started soon after. It is speculated that was the origin of Jones’ nickname. Jones was made colonel of the First, and later, Seventh Virginia Cavalry regiments. Solid performances at Cedar Mountain (Aug. 9, 1862), Second Manassas (Aug. 29-30, 1862) and Sharpsburg (Sept. 17, 1862) led to promotion to brigadier general to rank from Sept. 19, 1862. His new unit was the veteran Laurel Brigade (originally commanded by Turner Ashby), which Jackson recommended, but Stuart did not. In December, he commanded the Valley District. At the Battle of Brandy Station in June of 1863, Jones further distinguished himself. His unit protected the flank and rear of the army during the Pennsylvania Campaign. The argument between Jones and Stuart came to a head after the Gettysburg Campaign. This resulted in a court martial. Jones was found guilt and was reassigned to command the Department of Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee. He organized a brigade which participated in Longstreet’s Knoxville Campaign (Nov. 17-Dec. 4, 1863) and at Cloyd’s Mountain (May 9, 1864). When Federal Gen. Hunter raided through the Shenandoah Valley in the middle of 1864, Jones was ordered to intercept. At the Battle of Piedmont, June 5, 1864, Jones was encouraging his men when he was hit and killed in the front line. In the Confederate retreat, his body fell into Federal hands. The body was returned south and he was buried at the Old Glade Spring Presbyterian Church.

Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones (b. 1819, d. 1887) Virginia-born Samuel Jones advanced as high as divisional command late in 1862 before spending the rest of the war in charge of various districts and departments. Jones was born in Powhatan County, Virginia, Dec. 17, 1819. He attended the U.S. Military Academy and graduated with the Class of 1841 (19th of 52). During the Mexican War, Jones was a West Point instructor and continued for five years after the war. In 1858, Jones was a captain of the First Artillery and was given duty as assistant judge advocate of the army. With war coming, Jones resigned from the U.S. Army April 27, 1861, and received a Confederate commission as major of artillery in the Regular Army. He was a colonel and chief of artillery to Gen. Beauregard at First Manassas. To rank from the date of First Manassas, July 21, 1861, Jones received a promotion to brigadier general of the Provisional Confederate Army, thanks to his performance during the Confederate victory. He commanded a brigade of Georgia troops on the Potomac River. He was promoted to major general to rank from March 19, 1862. Jones relieved Gen. Bragg at Pensacola, Florida, as commander of the Department of Alabama and West Florida. He moved the command to Mobile, Alabama. In April of 1862, he being assigned a division under Gen. Van Dorn at Corinth. After that, he commanded the Department of Middle Tennessee until December 1862. Then, he was given command of the Department of Western Virginia. He was relieved of that duty in March of 1864. He commanded the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida before ending the war in charge of the Department of South Georgia and Florida. After the war, Jones farmed near Mattoax, Virginia, until 1880. He then was a clerk in the War Department offices of the adjutant general and judge advocate general. Jones died July 31, 1887, at Bedford Springs, Virginia. He was buried in Richmond.

Brig. Gen. John R. Jones (b. 1827, d. 1901) John Robert Jones had the distinction of seeing his old brigade passed to the command of John Marshall Jones after an injury at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Jones was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, March 12, 1827. Educated at the Virginia Military Academy, he graduated in 1848. His career as a teacher took him to Florida and to Maryland, where he served as principal of a military school in Urbana. At the start of the Civil War, he recruited a company of militia, which was incorporated into the 33rd Virginia Infantry, attached to the Stonewall Brigade. Fighting at First Manassas (July 21, 1861) and in the Valley Campaign of 1862, Jones worked his way up to lieutenant colonel. Catching the eye of his commander, Gen. Stonewall Jackson, Jones was promoted to brigadier general June 23, 1862 (although never confirmed by the Confederate Senate), and assigned to command a brigade in Trimble’s Division of the Second Corps. At the Battle of Chancellorsville, he left the field due to an ulcerated leg. This led to him being removed from command and the brigade passed to John Marshall Jones. A private civilian, J.R. Jones was captured by Federals at Smithburg, Tennessee, July 4, 1863. Despite the fact he no longer was in military service, he still was sent to Johnson’s Island. He spent the rest of the war there and at Fort Warren. He was released July 24, 1865. After the war, Jones returned to Harrisonburg in the farm implement business. He later received an appointment as commissioner in chancery of the circuit court. He died in Harrisonburg April 1, 1901.

Brig. Gen John M. Jones (b. 1820, d. 1864) Nobody could blame the soldiers of the Jones Brigade for not knowing exactly who their commander was. John Marshall Jones commanded the unit from the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville (May 2-4, 1864) through the opening salvoes of the Wilderness (May 5, 1864). He had replaced John Robert Jones in charge of the Second Corps brigade following the Confederate victory after his predecessor had left the field during the battle. John M. Jones was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, July 26, 1820, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy with the Class of 1841 (39th of 52). During the Mexican War, Jones was an instructor at West Point, teaching tactics. Following that, he participated in the Utah Expedition of 1857-58. He also helped to revise the army’s tactics. At the time of his resignation, he was a captain in the 7th U.S. Infantry. He received the same rank in the Confederate Army. Early in the war, he served as an adjutant and inspector general for Generals Magruder, Ewell (Valley Campaign of 1862 through Ewell’s wound at Groveton Aug. 29, 1862) and Early (Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862). During various battles and campaigns, Jones was praised for bravery and efficiency. After Chancellorsville, he was promoted from a staff officer at the rank of lieutenant colonel to command a brigade in Gen. Edward Johnson’s brigade in the Second Corps. The promotion ranked from May 15, 1863. During the Federal victory at Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863), Jones was severely wounded during a charge against Culp’s Hill July 2, 1863, but returned to duty in September of 1863. At the Battle of Payne’s Farm, Nov. 27, 1863, Jones was wounded again. He recovered for the campaign season of 1864. Supported by the brigades of Gen. Cullen Battle and Gen. George Doles, the men of Jones ran into Federal skirmishers to start the Wilderness, May 5, 1864. Jones’ brigade took the brunt of a Federal assault. While trying to reorganize his men, the mounted Jones was hit and killed. The brigade was driven into disarray (which also disrupted the supporting units). Ewell, his corps commander, called the loss of Jones “irreparable.” Jones was buried in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Removed extra comma in John M. Jones bio at Culp's Hill reference

[Gil R.]

Copied.

By the way, in case you missed it, you should strike the non-existent "D.H. Anderson" from your list of Confederate generals. As was pointed out in the support forum, the general going by that name is actually "R.H. Anderson." The person who typed in the names made a typo, since the 'D' and 'R' keys are adjacent.

[Battleline]

Gil,
Just checking with my "Generals in Gray," Warner has two R.H. Andersons listed.
There's Richard Herron Anderson, major general in the Army of Northern Virginia who commanded a corps after Longstreet was wounded; and
Robert Houstoun Anderson, brigadier general of cavalry in Wheeler's Corps, Army of Tennessee.
I would speculate the D.H. Anderson was Richard Anderson, and labeled as D.H. to diffentiate him from the other R.H. Anderson. Again, that's only speculation.
I tried to beef up these bios a bit to go with your suggestions. I'm actually working on typing up a list of battles with dates and hope to have that sorted both alphabetically and chronologically.
Thanks,
Battleline

[Gil R.]

The list sounds like it should be helpful.

Thanks for catching the error in the bio.