website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Edward Hughs Jones
Edward Hughs Jones, Watertown, Wis., member of G.A.R. Post O.D. Pease, was born December 25, 1820, in
Marcy, Oneida Co., New York. His father,
Ebenezer Jones, was born in Wales and came to America prior to marriage with
Martha Hughs.
He was a farmer and reared his family on the farm. The mother was of mixed Welsh and English
stock and descended from ancestors who were prominent in the Revolutionary
war. Mr. Jones was married to Mary
Bryant in Utica, New York, Dec. 2, 1842, and, six years later, they began life
in the Badger State on a farm in the town of Burnett, in Dodge County. Mrs. Jones is a relative of the poet Bryant
and is lineally descended from Miles Standish.
October 10,
1864, Mr. Jones enlisted in Battery G, 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, and was
mustered into service November 1st following.
On the 12th he left the State for duty at Fort Lyon, one of the defenses
of Washington, and, after a few weeks, was transferred to Fort Ellsworth. He drilled as light and heavy artilleryman
and also became familiar with light infantry tactics, adding to the three-fold
labors the duty of the camp and guard.
Sometimes,
even then, a restless spirit prevailed which led to adventures. On one occasion a foraging party discovered a
warehouse on the Potomac and they crawled under it from the river side. With an auger they investigated the floor and
finally struck an object and continued to bore. Suddenly a stream of molasses poured down
with which they filled their canteens and went away, leaving the molasses
flowing. It was discovered and also in
the empty barrel was found the body of a young negro
girl, fearfully mutilated and gashed.
Conjecture invented a theory of the deed being done where the molasses
was made, but a sure result was that many appetites were spoiled permanently
for molasses, among them being that of Mr. Jones. He saw the funeral of the girl, which was
conducted by the colored people.
Mr. Jones
was on duty on the night of the assassination of the President and watched the
signal lights on the hills on the Maryland side and on Arlington Heights, as well
as the rockets that were fired from the Capital. The next day, a merchant from Alexandria
asked several members of a Pennsylvania regiment if they were not glad the
President was killed. As answer they
scattered his merchandise, dragged him from beneath a bed, where he sought
secrecy, and delivered him to the proper authorities.
A little
before the fall of Richmond, the rebel pickets approached so near the pickets
near the Blue Ridge mountains that they could talk, and some of the former came
across and traded tobacco, sugar and coffee with the man who was stationed
within one of Mr. Jones. Not long after,
a rumor of the approach of Mosby became general and the command of Mr. Jones
was ordered back to the fort. In the
haste he fell, the sleety rain having rendered secure foothold impossible, and
injured his right knee. He took his
position at his gun, but could not carry ammunition and was transferred to
serve the lanyard, which he did, while several rounds were fired in the
direction of the supposed enemy. But the
alarm was a false one, Mosby being nowhere in that vicinity.
After the
assassination of Lincoln, the injured knee of Mr. Jones became worse and he was
ordered to the hospital. He went next to
the general hospital at Alexandria and thence to Washington, where he was
discharged in 1865. He was on crutches
for many months and has a permanent lameness. September 1, 1883, he quit
farming and rented the place, not being capable of active labor from his
injury. Since the inauguration of President
Harrison he has applied for a pension.
Mr. and Mrs.
Jones have had seven children, four of whom are deceased. Their two sons and a daughter are married and
settled in the West, leaving the parents alone.
Cross Reference:
Jones, E H, Civil War veteran, GAR Personal War Sketch, 1890
