Wiliam Edmondson American cavalryman of the Southern army Date of Birth: 09.05.1824 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Military Career
2. Civil War Service
3. Shenandoah Valley Command
4. Gettysburg and Brandy Station
5. Later Service and Death

Early Life and Military Career

William Edmondson Jones was born on May 9, 1824, in Middle Fork, Washington County, Virginia. After graduating from Emory and Henry College in 1844, he entered West Point Military Academy, graduating twelfth out of forty-eight in the class of 1848 (a classmate was John Buford, his future Civil War opponent).

Jones was assigned to the cavalry and served on the frontier in Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and the Pacific Coast, seeing action against Native Americans as a brevet second lieutenant in the Mounted Rifles. His military career progressed slowly during peacetime, and he resigned as a lieutenant in 1857.

Civil War Service

At the outbreak of the war, Jones formed a cavalry company, the Washington Mounted Rifles, which elected him captain. He served under Jeb Stuart at the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run). After the Manassas campaign, General Joseph E. Johnston praised Jones' company as "unsurpassed for its discipline and spirit" and recommended his promotion to colonel, describing him as a "meritorious, gallant, and highly zealous" officer.

Jones received command of the 1st Virginia Cavalry when Stuart organized his cavalry brigade and carried out important reconnaissance missions for Stuart in the spring of 1862, observing enemy movements from the Blue Ridge to the Potomac. After losing a regimental election, Jones transferred to the 7th Virginia Cavalry in Robertson's brigade.

Jones led his regiment with distinction in the Second Battle of Manassas and at Sharpsburg (Antietam). On November 8, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of the famed "Laurel Brigade," one of the finest cavalry units on either side of the conflict.

Shenandoah Valley Command

On December 29, Jones was given command of all Confederate forces in the Valley by none other than Stonewall Jackson himself. Jones, along with Imboden, conducted a highly successful raid on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad west of Cumberland in April-May 1863, destroying vast amounts of Federal property and severely damaging the railroad.

Gettysburg and Brandy Station

On June 9, Jones' brigade withstood the initial surprise Union attack at Brandy Station and by day's end had captured two enemy flags, three cannons, 250 prisoners, and hundreds of horses. During the Gettysburg campaign, Jones' brigade guarded mountain passes along the northern Shenandoah Valley as Lee's army advanced into Pennsylvania.

At the three-day Battle of Gettysburg, Jones' brigade crossed the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland, and camped near Greencastle, Pennsylvania. They then moved north, leaving the 12th Virginia to watch the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry and detaching the 35th Battalion to temporary duty with Brigadier General Albert Jenkins' cavalry brigade, which was operating along the Susquehanna River.

Jones' main force remained in reserve during the first two days of the battle, guarding supply trains. Only on July 3, at Fairfield, did they engage with the 6th US Cavalry. They clashed again with the same regiment days later at Funkstown.

Later Service and Death

After the retreat from Pennsylvania, Jones' brigade rested until clashing with John Buford's Union cavalry at Brandy Station on August 1 and October 10, 1863. That fall, Jones' feud with Stuart reached a boiling point, and he was court-martialed for making disparaging remarks about him. General Lee intervened, and Jones was simply transferred to duty in western Virginia.

There, he raised another fine cavalry brigade and coordinated effectively with Longstreet in Tennessee, routing the Yankees at Rogersville in November. In May 1864, he joined Morgan in repulsing Averell's cavalry raid on Saltville, Virginia, defeating him at Wytheville and driving him to Dublin.

Succeeding General Breckinridge, Jones was appointed commander of Confederate forces in Southwestern Virginia on May 23. In early June, Hunter's Federals moved against him with three strong cavalry columns. "Grumbling" Jones met his end in a desperate charge at Piedmont on June 5, 1864, a fitting end for a battle-tested general.