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Brigadier-General William E. Jones
Brigadier-General William E. Jones was born near Glade Spring,
Washington county, Va., in May, 1824. He was educated at
Emory and Henry college and at West Point, and began service
in the United States army with the rank of brevet second
lieutenant in the class of 1848.
In 1847 he had received from Emory and Henry college the
degree of master of arts. His connection with the old army
continued until his resignation in 1857, he then having the
rank of first lieutenant, mounted rifles.
During this period he first served in Missouri and Kansas,
marched to Oregon in 1849, remained there and in Washington
Territory until 1851, and after that was mainly on duty in
Texas. After his retirement he was engaged in farming in his
native county until 1861.
Upon the passage of the ordinance of secession he had ready a
company of cavalry, the Washington Mounted Rifles, with which
he joined Stuart in the Valley and took part in the First
Manassas campaign. At this time Gen. J. E. Johnston declared
that his company was the strongest in the First Virginia
cavalry regiment, "not surpassed in discipline and spirit by
any in the army," and recommended that Stuart be given brigade
command and that Jones, "skillful, brave and zealous in a very
high degree, " should succeed to the colonelcy, with Fitzhugh
Lee as lieutenant-colonel.
Consequently he became colonel of the First, upon the
organization of Stuart's brigade, and in the spring of 1862
was intrusted by Stuart with important duties in watching the
enemy from the Blue ridge to the Potomac. He was watchful and
vigorous and made the enemy feel his presence.
Soon afterward, being displaced by a regimental election, he
was assigned to the Seventh regiment, Robertson's brigade.
Rejoining Stuart in August he was distinguished in the Second
Manassas campaign, his regiment fighting splendidly at Brandy
Station, and winning commendation on several other occasions.
He participated in the raid around McClellan's army following
the battle of Sharpsburg, and on November 8th, having been
promoted brigadier-general, was assigned to command of
Robertson's, or the "Laurel brigade," largely composed of the
men who followed Ashby in the valley.
December 29th he was assigned to command of the Valley
district, including his brigade and all other troops operating
in that region, being selected for this post by Stonewall
Jackson. With the co-operation of General Imboden he made, in
April and May, 1863, a very successful raid upon the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad west of Cumberland, destroying an immense
amount of public and railroad property.
Then joining Stuart with his splendid brigade, he bore the
first shock, and both in morning and evening the brunt of
battle, in the famous cavalry fight of Brandy Station, June 9,
1863, his brigade ending the fight with more horses and more
and better smallarms than at the beginning, and capturing two
regimental colors, a battery of three pieces and about 250
prisoners.
During the advance of Lee into Pennsylvania, Jones, who had
been pronounced by Stuart "the best outpost officer" in the
cavalry, was depended upon mainly to cover the rear and flank
of the army. He defeated a Federal cavalry regiment at
Fairfield, Pa., and after the retreat of Lee was begun pushed
forward rapidly to protect the wagon trains of Ewell's
division.
Hurrying on with his staff on the night of July 4th, he found
Emack's Maryland company with one gun, holding at bay a
Federal division, with only half the train gone by. He joined
in the desperate fight in person and with his companions until
his command was scattered by a charge of cavalry. Separated
from his followers, he made his way alone to Williamsport and
organized all the men he could gather in the confusion for the
defense of the place before the arrival of Imboden.
Then, with half a dozen companies, he made his way through the
enemy's lines to his command, and returned with it to
participate in the attacks on Kilpatrick at Hagerstown and on
Buford at Williamsport. During the campaign, he reported, his
brigade fought in three battles and the affair at Boonsboro,
and captured over 600 prisoners.
Soon afterward an unfortunate break in his relations with
General Stuart, which had existed since the fall of 1861,
became so intensified as to have serious results. Col. O. R.
Funsten was given temporary command of the brigade, and on
October 9th General Jones was ordered to report for duty in
south west Virginia.
There he organized an excellent cavalry brigade, with which he
co-operated with Longstreet in east Tennessee, and in November
defeated the enemy near Rogersville. At Saltville, Va., in
May, 1864, with Gen. John H. Morgan, he foiled Averell's
designs against that post, defeated the Federals at
Wytheville, and pursued them to Dublin.
On May 23rd he was assigned to command of the department of
Southwest Virginia in the absence of General Breckinridge. It
was at that moment a position of great importance, as the
district was in a turmoil on account of the incursions of
Averell and Crook and Sigel, and Hunter was preparing to
advance on Lynchburg.
Early in June three strong columns of the enemy were marching
against him, and he made a stand with his own brigade,
Imboden's and Vaughn's before Hunter, at Piedmont. In the
desperate fight which followed, June 5th, he was killed and
his body fell into the hands of the enemy.
Source: Confederate Military History, vol. IV, p. 616