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Confederate (CSA)

Brigadier General

John Robert Jones

(1827 - 1901)

Home State: Virginia

Education: VMI, Class of 1848

Command Billet: Commanding Division

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: Jackson's Division

see his Battle Report

Before Sharpsburg

Graduated from the Virginia Military Institute on July 4, 1848; 7th in a class of 24 graduates. Before the War he taught school in Florida and was Principal of a military school in Urbanna, Maryland.

He was Lieutenant Colonel, 33rd Virginia Infantry Regiment; appointed Brigadier General in 1862 (but was never confirmed?); commanded the 2nd Brigade under Jackson at Cold Harbor and Malvern Hill.

On the Campaign

At Antietam he was in command of Jackson's Division, which was engaged in capture of Harpers Ferry and saw combat in the vicinity of the Cornfield. Jones was wounded: "stunned by an artillery shell" and left the field. He was relieved by Gen Starke, who was killed in action.

The rest of the War

He was accused of cowardice by subordinates for his actions at Antietam and later at Chancellorsville - he was removed from Brigade command in the Army reorganization of May 1863 and never resumed command. He was captured by Union troops in Smithburg, Maryland, on July 4, 1863 and never exchanged; imprisoned at Fort Warren, Mass, until end of war.

After the War

Businessman and commissioner in chancery for circuit court in Harrisonburg, VA