UilyamWilliam Edmondson Edmondson

(May 9, 1824 - June 5, 1864)
"Grouchy" Jones justified his nickname - he was always dissatisfied with everything and always annoyed. Nevertheless, the commander of cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia, Major General Jeb Stuart Jones and highly valued, although disliked him as a man called "the best patrol officer in the entire army". Stewart also repeatedly pointed out the courage and determination Jones. At the same time, . however, . When Jones was in command of a brigade in October 1862, . Stewart is opposed to the nomination and wrote to his wife, Flora: "I hope, . that he be transferred to the infantry, . I do not want to see him in the cavalry, . what and filed an official report ",
. Returning the courtesy of Stewart, Jones called it "young nonentity".
William Edmondson Jones was born in the village of Middle Fork, Washington County, Va., May 9, 1824. After graduating in 1844, Virginia College Emory and Henry, he was accepted to study at West Point, . of which came out in 1848, the twelfth in their performance of forty-eight graduates (in the same class with John Jones studied Byuford, . future opponent of the Civil War),
. Jones sent in the cavalry, and he proceeded to the severe service on the frontier, gonyaya the prairies of Texas, Kansas and Missouri and the Pacific coast Indians brevetirovannogo the rank of second lieutenant of the regiment of mounted riflemen.
In peacetime military career progressed with difficulty, and by the time the resignation of Jones grown only up to lieutenant. In 1857 he resigned, taking up in the quiet solitude of agriculture. Wife Jones immediately after the marriage hit the shipwreck and drowned, and he never recovered from this loss. After the death of his wife, he gradually became a closed, suspicious and malicious misanthrope, during the war constantly quarreling with the other officers. Jones took no pretentious dress and extravagant Mannerist Stewart, always dressed more than modestly, and his naivety in many areas became a legend. He was a rabid fan of strict discipline, and with her help win respect from subordinates, but not their love. And yet, being an extremely unpleasant person, Jones has shown himself an excellent soldier. Brigadier D. Imboden, who served with Jones, said of the latter: "He was an officer in the old army school, brave as a lion, he had seen a real service and has proven a strong fighter. However, he was a man quick-tempered, moody and irritable: But he had fought so well that he had repeatedly defeated the enemy, who surpassed his own strength more than doubled ".
At the beginning of the war Jones formed a cavalry company of the Washington horse archers, the personnel of which elected him captain, and in the first battle of Manassas (Bull Run) served under Jeb Stuart. After Manassaskoy campaign, General Joseph E. Johnston, Jones declared the best company in the 1 st Virginia Cavalry Regiment, unsurpassed for the discipline and spirit ", and advised Jones to make the rank of colonel as" a gifted, courageous and extremely zealous "officer. Thus, . the organization of a cavalry brigade Stuart Jones was the star of Colonel 1 st Virginia Cavalry Regiment, . and the spring of 1862 carried out important tasks Stewart monitoring the movements of the enemy from Blue Ridge to the Potomac,
. After the regular regimental election loser of Jones was transferred to the 7 th Virginia Cavalry Regiment of Brihat Robertson. Under the command of this regiment Jones excelled during the 2-nd Manassaskoy campaign in the late summer of 62-year and in the Battle of Sharpsburg (Entieteme)

. 8 th November 1862 he was awarded the rank of Brigadier General, . and Jones assumed command of the Laurel Brigade ", . one of the best cavalry units on both sides of the front (this team was largely composed of people of the legendary General Turner Ashby),
. Jones inherited a team composed entirely of Virginians - 6 th, 7 th, 11 th and 12 th Virgin cavalry regiments and the 35 th Battalion Virginia Cavalry. All these parts were behind rich combat experience and were staffed by veterans who are accustomed to long marches and hard battles.

December 29, Jones took command of all armed forces of the Confederacy in the Valley (the choice was made by the Stone Wall Jackson!). Jones, . with Imbodenom, . in April-May 1863 made a very successful raid on the railroad Baltimore-Ohio, west of Cumberland, . destroying a huge number of federal property and causing serious damage in several places the railway track,
. On June 9 Brigade Jones stood first unexpected blow to the Yankees at Brandy Station, and by the end of the day captured two enemy flag, three guns, two hundred and fifty prisoners and several hundred horses.
During the Gettysburg campaign Brigade Jones controlled the mountain passes on both sides of the Shenandoah Valley during the promotion army Lee to the north, and then covered aregard entering the territory of Pennsylvania. When the 3-day battle of Gettysburg, the brigade Jones crossed the Potomac near Uilyamsporta, Maryland and camped near the Pennsylvania Grinkasla. Then the team moved to the north, . leaving the 12 th Virginia to observe the federal garrison at Harpers Ferry, and passing the 35 th Battalion in temporary disposal Cavalry Brigade, Brigadier General Albert Jenkins, . which occurs in the area of the river Saskehanna,
. General Jones also forces the first two days of battle remained in the rear of the Confederate, . providing escort supply trains, . and only on July 3 at Fairfield engaged in battle with the 6 th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, . and with him the same again faced a few days later when Fankstaune,
. After the withdrawal of the Brigade of Pennsylvania received a welcome respite Jones, but only so that the 1 st August and 10 th October 1863 double mix with the Yankee cavalry John Byuforda in regular battles of Brandy Station. That same autumn Jones eventually fell out with Stewart and was betrayed by a military court for insulting the last. In time intervened General Lee, and Jones simply transferred to a new duty station in the western areas of Virginia.
There, he managed to assemble a new superior cavalry brigade, and led her Jones was able to establish a harmonious interaction with Longstreet in Tennessee and in November to defeat the Yankees in Rogersville. In May 1864 he was with Morgan repelled an attack by cavalry W. Averell at Virginia City Soltvill, broke it with Uiterville and drove to Dublin. Substituting General Breckinridge, Jones on May 23 was appointed to the post of commander of Confederate forces in southwestern Virginia. In early June Feds Hunter moved against him three powerful cavalry column. Death overtook the "grunt" Jones On June 5, 1864, when he led his men into a desperate attack with Piedmont - a worthy end to the fighting general.