William Edmonson “Grumble” Jones

Is that brigade history called “Grumble” any good?

Oh, Eric! What a disappointment! You didn’t mention the man who ‘learned all the I knew’ about cavalry tactics from his first commander, then Captain Jones.

Jones drilled two companies, his own which he had named the Washington Mounted Rifles, and another from Marion. Jones was a stern disciplinarian whose orders were sprinkled liberally with oaths. He went about the lines of men, punching bellies and striking backs when they did not meet his expectation of perfection. Among his recruits was a frail little man, the smallest in both companies at 5 foot 1 inches (at the most) and weighing no more than about 120 pounds. Worse, the little fellow had stooped shoulders, the result of a sickly childhood and long years of study. Jones hounded the poor man mercilessly, thumping him between his shoulder blades every time he went by and bellowing in his ears “Straighten up, damn it! You’re slouching!” Yet he never seemed to ‘straighten up’ to Jones’ satisfaction.

Yet, before long, a bond formed between the rough, profane and stern soldier and the young misfit. This bond was fostered by the former’s recognition of the courage and intelligence of his unlikely recruit and the latter’s recognition of the skill and intelligence of his commander. Until Jones was ‘voted out’ of his command – leaving the frail soldier whom he had made his adjutant to resign before Jones’ replacement Fitz Hugh Lee removed him – their friendship was unbroken. Indeed, when Jones was given a small number of weapons – first carbines and then revolvers – one of each went to his little favorite. He told the rest of his men that the men to whom he gave the weapons would ‘always be put in a place of greatest danger’. And so it was.

Fortunately, for Jones’ little favorite, he had proven himself as an excellent scout to General JEB Stuart while still with Jones and after he was bereft of his commission and left to wonder what future he had under Fitz Lee who had no use for such an ‘unpromising soldier’, Stuart took him on as a scout where he served with great distinction and, in fact, became – as he had with Jones – an intimate friend of his commander. Indeed, it was he who brought Stuart the plan that led to the famous ‘Ride Around McClellan’ which made Stuart famous.

However, in December, 1862, faced with months of inactivity in winter quarters, Stuart’s leading little scout requested of his friend and commander that he be allowed to ‘stay behind’ in the area which he had heavily scouted and, with a few men, ‘see what could be done’ to discomfort the Yankees. Stuart, realizing that the young man enjoyed nothing of camp life – he didn’t flirt, play cards or enjoy ‘socializing’ – and suspecting that a few months of such an existence might make him lose his mind (he couldn’t sit still for more than ten minutes at a stretch), the gay Cavalier gave his consent and provided the young private soldier (who had no commission) some nine men telling him to ‘see what he could do’. Several weeks later, after capturing many times his number of men and horses and causing great consternation throughout the area, Stuart gave John Singleton Mosby an additional fifteen men and the glorious career of the famous Gray Ghost had begun.

But Mosby always gave the credit for his knowledge of cavalry tactics to William E. ‘Grumble’ Jones.

V.P.

Interestingly enough, Mosby loved and WAS loved by both Jones and Stuart both of whom, as you noted, hated (or at least cordially disliked) each other. I think one of the reasons that Jones was attracted to the little man was that Mosby was as indifferent to and impatient with military routine and regulations as was Jones. Also, he was a ‘fighter’ and, like Jones, was happiest when engaging the enemy. I think that Jones saw all those qualities and overlooked Mosby’s appearance (after all, Jone’s appearance was no great shakes either) and his seeming indifference to those aspects of military life that wouldn’t appeal to ‘rebels’ like Mosby – OR Jones.

Stuart, on the other hand, impressed Mosby with two things – his genius (Mosby pointed out that Stuart was also willing to not ‘go by the book’ – and his appearance. To the small, frail and physically unimpressive Mosby (who, by the way, was not an ugly man at all, but did not meet the standard of the day for masculine beauty), Stuart was a ‘young god’ with his physical size and strength and his outgoing and warm personality. Stuart became aware of Mosby when a conference was being held among the commanders and Stuart noted that Lee wanted to know more about the enemy’s movements and intentions. Mosby was with Jones as his adjutant and spoke up, saying that he would ‘go and find out’ for Stuart, which he did. Few people now realize the danger inherent in a scout’s actions. Although Mosby was always in uniform, often scouts found themselves captured and hanged as ‘spies’ anyway. Mosby was unafraid of the risk and, what’s more, was intelligent enough to ask for guides when he was not familiar with the territory. He was cool, capable and totally fearless, something that Stuart himself was. Indeed, one biographer said that the two men’s assessments of each other were equally valid for both.

Jones, according to Mosby, was a warm and protective towards the men under him, but constantly fought with those of equal and greater rank than himself, one of the reasons why Mosby’s was one of the few positive comments. Indeed, Jones’ abrasive treatment of his superiors – and the results thereof – were an object lesson for Mosby who also had little patience with ‘brass hats’ but knew how to temper his impatience with the necessary diplomacy. Had he not had Jones as an example of what NOT to do, he may have been far less successful in his own career.

V.P.

He’d have to shave his head and grow a scad of unpleasantly dissheveled chin whiskers! Grumble was no beauty!

V. P.

In “The Memoirs of Colonel John S. Mosby, page 23, Mosby says
“Jones was always kind to me.”

Grey Ghost
(John Singleton Mosby)

I left my home in Maryland, escaped to the desperate hills,
Blue coat soldiers everywhere, I refused to bow or kneel.

Got a real good horse streamed Nanny Pieces and I rode with Grumble Jones.
Somehow I never did fit in with them regular army drums.

But Old Mobstar enter 43rd in early 63 I went up there and tried my hand seemed like the place to be.

We rode that upper valley and we charged them union lines, they might make it down to Richmond but this turnpike road is mine.

We’re ridin’ with the Grey Ghost when I hear that startin’ bell we’d ride into those mountains and we gave those Yankees hell. Takin’ horse, guns and prisoners whatever we could get, they might make it down to Richmond but they ain’t got there yet.

Sometimes we’d make a midnight raid take out those picket posts; charge down through them Union camps like pistol totin’ Ghosts.
Other times we’d hit them Federal trains in one of our attacks, twistin’ up the big steel rails and tearin’ up the tracks.

We patrolled that river turnpike from Fairfax to West Begat; it was many a Yankee soldier who fell into our trap.

We whipped them Loudon Rangers and ol’ General Custer too, every time we knocked them bad boys down our reputation grew.

We’re ridin’ with the Grey Ghost when we hear that startin’ bell we’d ride into those mountains and we’d give those Yankees hell. Takin’ horse, guns and prisoners whatever we could get, they might make it down to Richmond but they ain’t got there yet.

On Sunday 1865 on an Appomattox farm, Bobby Lee met General Grant and Lee lay down his arms.
On the 21st of April on a Friday afternoon, Colonel Mosby sent us home and said then end would be here soon. We just kept on a ridin said he wouldn’t take no oath. If them Yankees want to take us lord they’ll have to catch us both.

Now I’m ridin’ like the Grey Ghost through these Shenandoah hills, hidin from them double yellow, Mosby’s hearts a grill.

Those Southern boys done lost the war but I got no regrets, those Yankees just might shoot me down but they ain’t got me yet!

Snakebite