David Rumph Jones (1825-1863)

David Rumph Jones (1825-1863) was born on April 5, 1825 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina. He was raised for at least part of his youth in Houston County, Georgia. He was appointed in 1842 to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he graduated in 1846, 41st in his class.

Jones began service with the 2nd U.S. Infantry, including action in the Mexican War (1847), where he was cited for bravery.

After the war, he was an instructor at West Point, and then assigned to the Adjutant General's Department.

Jones resigned his commission on February 15, 1861, and entered Confederate service as a major and chief of staff to P. G. T Beauregard at the siege of Fort Sumter. He hauled down the United States flag at Fort Sumter after the surrender.

He was promoted to brigadier general on June 17, 1861, in time to command a brigade at First Manassas.

On March 10, 1862, he was promoted to major general and led a division with solid competence throughout the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days battles under Magruder.

Made a Major General on March 10, 1862, Jones' division secured Thoroughfare Gap on August 28, 1862, and later proved a key element in the decisive assault on the second day of Second Manassas, his division was under Longstreet helping rescue Jackson.

In September 1862, Jones again distinguished himself at South Mountain and at Antietam. At Antietam, he commanded Jones' Division in Longstreet's Command and opposed Col. Henry Kinsburg, his brother-in-law in Command of the 11th Connecticut Infantry, who spearheaded the attack on Burnside Bridge. Some speculate that Jones' death of heart disease in 1863 was caused by the extreme grief of knowing his men had gunned down Kingsbury.

Jones died in Richmond of heart disease on January 20, 1863, in Richmond, Virginia, and is buried there in Hollywood Cemetery.