{⋆★⋆} BG Jones, William Edmondson

William Edmondson "Grumble" Jones​

Born: May 9, 1824

Birth Place: Washington County, Virginia

Father: Robert Jones 1798 – 1833

(Buried: Glade Spring Presbyterian Church, Glade Spring, Virginia)​

Mother: Catherine Moffett Edmiston Jones 1795 – 1856

Wife: Eliza Margaret Dunn Jones 1834 – 1852

(Buried: Glade Spring Presbyterian Church, Glade Spring, Virginia)​

Children: None

Education:

1844: Graduated from Emory and Henry College​

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1848: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (10th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1848 – 1850: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Mounted Rifles​

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1850 – 1854: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, Mounted Rifles​

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1854 – 1857: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, Mounted Rifles​

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1857: Resigned from United States Army on January 26th​​

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1858 – 1861: Farmer near Glade Spring Depot, Virginia​

Civil War Career:

1861: Captain in 1st​ Virginia Cavalry​

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1861: Participated in the First Battle of Bull Run​

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1861: Colonel of 1st​ Virginia Cavalry​

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1861 – 1862: Colonel of 7th​ Virginia Cavalry​

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1862: Participated in Second Battle of Bull Run​

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1862: Wounded during the Battle of Orange Court House​

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1862 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army, Cavalry​

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1862 – 1863: Commander of Cavalry in the Valley District

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1863: Participated in the Burning of Springs Complex​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Brandy Station​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863: Court Martialed and found guilty for insulting General Stuart​

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1863 – 1864: Served in Trans – Allegheny Department​

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1864: Shot in the head and killed during Battle of Piedmont​

Died: June 5, 1864

Place of Death: Piedmont, Augusta County, Virginia

Cause of Death: Struck in head, and fell dead off horse

Age at time of Death: 40 years old

Burial Place: Glade Spring Presbyterian Church, Glade Spring, Virginia

 

[gentlemanrob]

 

[ErnieMac]

Jones' primary role in the Gettysburg Campaign was at the Battle of Fairfield on July 3 where he defended a Confederate forage train against a detachment of the Federal 6th U.S. Cavalry and kept the Fairfield Road open for the Confederate retreat a couple days later.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

Thank you for the biography. My great, great grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Bishop, and his older brother Charles fought under him in the 7th VA Cavalry.

 

[rpkennedy]

Jones and Stuart hated one another personally but Stuart considered Jones one of the finest outpost officers in the army.

Ryan

 

[Pollaco]

He commanded the Laurel Brigade for a year (1862-1863) except when he was detached to command the Valley District from Dec. 29, 1862 to May 1863.

 

[MarylandLine]

Grumble Jones was a **** fine cavalryman, I've studied extensively the Jones-Imboden raid.

 

[Luke Freet]

Jones was one of the most effective of Lee's cavalrymen. His talents sure were wasted with his transfer out of the cavalry corps, though he did excellently well commanding cavalry in the Shenandoah, and did the best he could at Piedmont before being killed.

 

[121st PA Vols]

Why didn't Lee hold Jones in the high regard others did? As a student of Gettysburg, I realize Lee held Stuart in high, even a special regard. Still, Lee desperately needed cavalry for reconnaissance, had it and didn't use it, instead, relying on staff and others far less qualified to pull serious recon on the right before Longstreet's attack Day 2.

 

[rpkennedy]

Why didn't Lee hold Jones in the high regard others did? As a student of Gettysburg, I realize Lee held Stuart in high, even a special regard. Still, Lee desperately needed cavalry for reconnaissance, had it and didn't use it, instead, relying on staff and others far less qualified to pull serious recon on the right before Longstreet's attack Day 2.

Lee certainly has to shoulder some of the blame but a considerable portion has to be placed squarely in front of Beverly Robertson. Robertson was in command of a demi-division which consisted of his own and Jones' brigades and was wholly incompetent. Robertson had been ordered to follow up the army after it passed so that they could be of service but these two brigades stayed behind to unnecessarily guard mountain gaps south of the Potomac River far longer than they should have. Hence, they did not arrive until it was far too late to do much other than help to cover the retreat and skirmish on the edges of the army.

Poor staff work from Lee and his staff never kept in touch with Robertson. Robertson had his orders and was extremely slow in following them. Finally, Stuart has to bear some of the criticism for leaving Robertson in command of that detachment. Stuart took his best brigades with him on his ride, leaving Lee with the remainder. He could have prevented these issues by either taking Robertson or Jones with him and leaving more senior or competent officers behind but it was not to be.

Ryan

 

[121st PA Vols]

Lee certainly has to shoulder some of the blame but a considerable portion has to be placed squarely in front of Beverly Robertson. Robertson was in command of a demi-division which consisted of his own and Jones' brigades and was wholly incompetent. Robertson had been ordered to follow up the army after it passed so that they could be of service but these two brigades stayed behind to unnecessarily guard mountain gaps south of the Potomac River far longer than they should have. Hence, they did not arrive until it was far too late to do much other than help to cover the retreat and skirmish on the edges of the army.

Poor staff work from Lee and his staff never kept in touch with Robertson. Robertson had his orders and was extremely slow in following them. Finally, Stuart has to bear some of the criticism for leaving Robertson in command of that detachment. Stuart took his best brigades with him on his ride, leaving Lee with the remainder. He could have prevented these issues by either taking Robertson or Jones with him and leaving more senior or competent officers behind but it was not to be.

Ryan

Yes, I'm aware of most of that but appreciate a few reminders....like Robertson evidently having seniority and commanding the two brigades. Thank you.
I love Stuart's heart, boldness, etc but am critical of his performance in the Gburg Campaign as are many. He knew the caliber of his troopers and just made a bad move (as you mentioned) not leaving a more competent man (Fitz Lee?) behind who would know not to pointlessly guard gaps and to remain in close communication with Lee.
There are numerous occasions at the battle where infantry and staff were used in place of Stuart that crippled and outright misled Lee. I don't think it is emphasized enough, whether it was leaving Pickett-Law behind til day 2, Walker and Gordon Day1-2 worrying about the York Pike, recon on the Rounds Tops and more.
What a difference when comparing the exemplary job Union Cavalry did (excepting insanity of Kilpatrick Day 3) to Southern. Night and day!

 

[rpkennedy]

Yes, I'm aware of most of that but appreciate a few reminders....like Robertson evidently having seniority and commanding the two brigades. Thank you.
I love Stuart's heart, boldness, etc but am critical of his performance in the Gburg Campaign as are many. He knew the caliber of his troopers and just made a bad move (as you mentioned) not leaving a more competent man (Fitz Lee?) behind who would know not to pointlessly guard gaps and to remain in close communication with Lee.
There are numerous occasions at the battle where infantry and staff were used in place of Stuart that crippled and outright misled Lee. I don't think it is emphasized enough, whether it was leaving Pickett-Law behind til day 2, Walker and Gordon Day1-2 worrying about the York Pike, recon on the Rounds Tops and more.
What a difference when comparing the exemplary job Union Cavalry did (excepting insanity of Kilpatrick Day 3) to Southern. Night and day!

I understand why Stuart didn't take either Robertson or Jones with him (Robertson had a small brigade and was incompetent and he hated Jones) but it would have behooved him to leave someone else in command besides Robertson. There was a reason that he had already been transferred out of the AoNV once and why he would be again immediately after the Gettysburg Campaign. Stuart should have known better but I suppose he was betting that he would be rejoining the army long before the dearth of cavalry became an issue. Unfortunately for him and Lee, he lost that bet.

Ryan