{⋆★⋆} MG Withers, Jones Mitchell

Jones Mitchell Withers​

Born: January 12, 1814

Birthplace: Madison County, Alabama

Father: John Wright Withers 1773 – 1826

Mother: Mary Herbert Jones 1777 – 1848

Wife: Rebecca Eloise Forney 1818 – 1869
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Children:

Sylla Withers
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Harriet Brevard Withers Huger 1838 – 1908
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Mary Withers Thomas 1844 – 1916
(Buried: West Hill Cemetery, Dalton, Georgia)

Priscilla McDowell Withers Witherspoon 1845 – 1871
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Jones M. Withers Jr. 1849 – 1885
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Eloise F. Withers 1855 – 1877
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Virginia Clay Withers Cleveland 1858 – 1908
(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama)

Education:

1835: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (44th​ in class)

Occupation before War:

1835: Brevet, 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 1st​ Dragoons​

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1835: Resigned from United States Army on December 5th​​

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1836: Aide to Major General Patterson against Creek Indians​

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1837 – 1840: Attorney in Tuscaloosa, Alabama​

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1838 – 1839: Alabama State Secretary of State​

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1838 – 1839: Served in the Alabama State Militia as Captain​

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1841 – 1842: Attorney for Alabama State Branch Bank in Mobile, Alabama​

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1841 – 1846: Served in the Alabama State Militia as Captain

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1841 – 1846: Cotton Factor and Commission Merchant in Mobile, Alabama​

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1846: Colonel of 1st​ Alabama Volunteers during Mexican War​

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1847: Lt. Colonel of United States Army, 13th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1847 – 1848: Colonel of United States Army, 9th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1848: Resigned from United States Army on May 23rd​​

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1848 – 1861: Merchant in Mobile, Alabama​

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1858 – 1861: Mayor of Mobile, Alabama​

Civil War Career:

1861: Colonel of 3rd​ Alabama Infantry Regiment​

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1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1861 – 1862: Commander of District of Alabama​

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1862: Participated in the Battle of Shiloh

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1862 – 1863: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Stones River​

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1863: Resigned from the Confederate Army​

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1863 – 1865: Major General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1864: Commander of District of North Alabama​

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1865: Commander of Reserve Forces in Alabama​

Occupation after War:

Cotton Broker and Newspaper Editor of Mobile, Alabama

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1867: Mayor of Mobile, Alabama​

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1878 – 1879: City Treasurer for city of Mobile, Alabama​

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Claims Agent in Washington, D.C.​

Died: March 13, 1890

Place of Death: Mobile, Alabama

Age at time of Death: 76 years old

Cause of Death: Mitral Insufficiency

Burial Place: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama

 

[Pollaco]

Another biography that I've read is very vague about an event that happened. It states that Withers was succeeded by Thomas C. Hindman.Was it because He resigned as brigadier and left a void at the brigade level? Or was it after He was made a Major General? Or was it after being made MG and sent back to Alabama? Apparently it occurred in 1863.

 

[John Hartwell]

[New Orleans Times-Picayune, 15 March 1890]​

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Major General Jones M. Withers! Salutes remembering General Withers on his birthday.

 

[Luke Freet]

One of the unsung officers of the Army of Tennessee, as he was one of the few division commanders in it's early years who was quite capable. His I'll health removed him from further command, resulting in Hindman taking command of the division for the Chickamauga and Atlanta Campaigns.

 

[Gavrilo Sartorys]

Another biography that I've read is very vague about an event that happened. It states that Withers was succeeded by Thomas C. Hindman.Was it because He resigned as brigadier and left a void at the brigade level? Or was it after He was made a Major General? Or was it after being made MG and sent back to Alabama? Apparently it occurred in 1863.

Withers was promoted Major-General in April 1862 in the aftermaths of Shiloh. So was Hindman. Withers retained command of his division until the Tullahoma Campaign of June - July 1863. Hindman served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater between June 1862 and July 1863 and he was probably asking for being transferred to a field command at that period : when Withers departed because of ill health, his division ended in Hindman's hands.

As @Luke Freet said, he was a capable officer, highly praised by his superiors and inspiring confidence to his subordinates and his men. Because it seems that he's not depicted in any boardgame, I chose to include him, with a bunch of other lesser known generals, into my own game in order to offer more choice to players when they have to assemble the chain of command of their armies.

Despite being eclipsed by more famous characters of the war, Withers is a fascinating figure, being a senior officer with great responsabilities as early as 1862. Does anyone know more about his administrative skills / combat performances ?

However, I won't rate hime too highly because he didn't show his military capabilities at higher post than division or district command.

 

[Sheltowee]

US Army service is curious to me.

Resigned as a 2nd Lt after a year of service. Pops back in as a Lt. Col of the 13th Inf in 1847. Promoted to full Col. a year later.
He was out of the regular army for 12 years, prior to being reinstated as a Lt. Col.

Conversely- Just read a bio of a career officer who took 40 years to achieve Colonel- with no break in service.

A lot about 19th century military careers and advancement just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Pollaco]

A father -in-law to CS "general" Bryan M. Thomas. Thomas was given the temporary rank of brigadier on August 4, 1864 but never confirmed.Thomas was captured on April 9, 1865 at the fall of Fort Blakely.