Catesby ap Roger Jones (April 15, 1821 – June 21, 1877) was an officer in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

who became a commander in the

Confederate Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. He assumed command of during the Battle of Hampton Roads and engaged in the historic first battle of the two

ironclads An ironclad is a steam-propelled warship protected by iron or steel armor plates, constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. Th ...

Biography

Jones was born in

Clarke County Clarke County may refer to: ;Places *One of five counties in the United States: **Clarke County, Alabama **Clarke County, Georgia **Clarke County, Iowa **Clarke County, Mississippi **Clarke County, Virginia Clarke County is a county in the Com ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, son of Major General Roger ap Catesby Jones and Mary Ann Mason. His mother was a lineal descendant of

William Byrd II William Byrd II (March 28, 1674August 26, 1744) was an American planter, lawyer, surveyor, author, and a man of letters. Born in Colonial Virginia, he was educated in London, where he practiced law. Upon his father's death, he returned to Virg ...

of Westover and

Robert "King" Carter Robert "King" Carter (4 August 1663 – 4 August 1732) was a merchant, planter and powerful politician in colonial Virginia. Born in Lancaster County, Carter eventually became one of the richest men in the Thirteen Colonies. As President of t ...

, making her also a cousin of General Robert E. Lee. His uncle was

Thomas ap Catesby Jones Thomas ''ap'' Catesby Jones (24 April 1790 – 30 May 1858) was a U.S. Navy commissioned officer during the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. Early life and education Thomas ap Catesby Jones was born on 24 April 1790 in Westmor ...

, a naval officer during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

and

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

. Jones was appointed a midshipman in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

in 1836, and served extensively at sea, receiving promotion to the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in 1849. During the 1850s, Jones was involved in development work on navy weapons and served as ordnance officer on the new steam frigate when she began active service in 1856. When

left the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

in April 1861, Lieutenant Jones resigned his U.S. Navy commission, joining the

Virginia State Navy A Virginia State Navy (or Virginia Navy) existed twice. During the American Revolutionary War, the provisional government of the Virginia Colony authorized the purchase, outfitting, and manning of armed vessels to protect the colony's waters fro ...

soon thereafter and becoming a

lieutenant in June. In 1861–62, he was employed in converting the steam frigate USS ''Merrimack'' into an ironclad and was the ship's executive officer when she was commissioned as . During the Battle of Hampton Roads, when her commanding officer, Captain

Franklin Buchanan Franklin Buchanan (September 17, 1800 – May 11, 1874) was an officer in the United States Navy who became the only full admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. He also commanded the ironclad CSS ''Virginia''. Early lif ...

, was wounded in the March 8, 1862 attack on and , Jones temporarily took command, leading the ship during her historic engagement with on the following day. Later in 1862, he commanded a shore

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

at Drewry's Bluff, on the James River, and the gunboat while she was under construction at

Saffold, Georgia Saffold is an unincorporated community in Early County, Georgia, United States. Its western boundary is the Chattahoochee River also bordering Gordon, Alabama. U.S. Route 84 and SR 370 pass through the community. It is located 20 miles south of ...

. For his "gallant and meritorious conduct" during the battles of Hampton Roads and Drewry's Bluff, Jones was promoted to the rank of commander on April 29, 1863. Jones was sent to Selma, Alabama, to take charge of the Ordnance Works there. For the rest of the Civil War, he supervised the manufacture of badly needed heavy guns for the

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

armed forces. With the end of the conflict in May 1865, Jones went into private business. After working in South America, he made his residence in Selma, Alabama. On June 20, 1877, he was shot as the result of a quarrel between his 7-year-old son and another man's 10-year-old son. He died in Selma the following morning. Catesby ap Roger Jones is buried in the historic

Old Live Oak Cemetery Old Live Oak Cemetery is an historic cemetery in Selma, Alabama that was founded in 1829 and expanded in 1877. The newer portion is sometimes called New Live Oak Cemetery and the cemetery is collectively known as Live Oak Cemetery. It contains ...

at Selma, Alabama.

Notes

References

U.S. Naval Historical Center
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Catesby 1821 births 1877 deaths United States Navy officers Confederate States Navy commanders People of Virginia in the American Civil War People murdered in Alabama Deaths by firearm in Alabama American people of English descent American people of Welsh descent

Biography

See also

Notes

References