DeLancey Floyd-Jones..Commanding Officer/Battle Of Yorktown..American Civil War

DeLancey Floyd-Jones
Commanding Officer/Battle of Yorktown
American Civil War
By Albert Walker

DeLancey Floyd-Jones was born January 20, 1826, in South Oyster Bay, New York. As a young man of fifteen, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1846 in a class that contained such military luminaries as George B. McClellan, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, A.P. Hill, and George S. Pickett. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was promoted to second lieutenant and assigned to the 4th U.S. Infantry.he participated in several major battles, including the Siege of Veracruz, the Battle of Molino del Rey, and the battle for Mexico City. For gallant and meritorious conduct at Molio del Rey, he was brevetted to first lieutenant on September 8, 1847, receiving a promotion to the full rank in January 1848. He was reassigned to a garrison in Detroit, Michigan, from 1848-50. During the Yakima War, he served in Fort Vancouver and Fort Steilacoom in the Washington Territory until 1855. He was promoted to captain on July 31, 1854 while in Washington.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, He was promoted to major of the 11th U.S. Infantry. He commanded the 11th Infantry at the battles of Yorktown, Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill. He was brevetted to Lieutenant Colonel on July 4, 1862 for gallant and meritorious service during these campaigns. He served in the Second battle of Bull Run, and his regiment was engaged at the Battle of Antietam, at a position east of Sharpsburg. He was active at Rappahannock and the Mud March, as well as the Battle of Chancellorsville. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he led his men into action near Wheatfield, suffering substantial casualties. He was brevetted to Colonel, July 2, 1863, for gallant and meritorious service at Gettysburg.

On August 1, 1863, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th U.S. Infantry and was assigned to supervise recruitment at Fort Independence in Massachusetts. In October, he assumed command of the defenses and fortifications of Boston Harbor which he held until March 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier-General on March 13, 1865 and became commander of the 19th Infantry in April 1865.

After the war he served in a variety of administrative posts, commanding Newport Barracks in Kentucky, and the occupation garrison of Little Rock, Arkansas. Following sick leave, he was assigned as Acting Assistant inspector General and Judge Advocate of the Department of Arkansas from December 1866 to February 1867. He was then in command of Fort Smith, Arkansas, until October 1867, and then of Fort Gibson and the District of Indian Territory until January 1868. He served as Superintendant of Indian Affairs in Idaho Territory, from June 1869 to November 1870, and at various times commanded Fort Dodge, Fort Hays, the post at Holly Springs, Mississippi, Jackson Barracks in Louisiana, and the garrison in Helena, Montana.In 1871 he was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry where he remained until his retirement on March 20, 1879.

Floyd-Jones traveled around the world many times, during leaves from the army and after his retirement. He documented his journeys in letters home, and frequently had his observations and descriptions published in local newspapers. He also published a well-reviewed book about his travels to India, China, and Japan, entitled "Letters From The Far East."

He was founder and builder of the Delancey Floyd-Jones Free Library, one of the oldest libraries in the Town of Oyster Bay, an the first free library on the south shore of Long Island.

After retirement, he became more involved in the many organizations he had joined over the years. He was among the establishers of The Aztec Club of 1847, an early networking organization for veterans, whose distinguished membership grew to include many Congressmen and three presidents. In 1885, he was elected treasurer of the club; in 1892 he presented the club with a silver centerpiece manufactured by Tiffany's representing an ancient Aztec Teocali. The centerpiece is still used at the annual meetings to this day. In 1894 he was elected vice president of the club, and succeeded to the presidency the following year, while remaining treasurer. He was a lifetime member of the Sons of the Revolution, the Loyal Legion of the United States, The St. Nicholas Society, and the South Side Sportsman's Club.

DeLancey Floyd-Jones was the fifth child of Major General Henry Onderdonk Floyd-Jones and Helen M.Watts. He was married twice, the first time on June 24, 1852 to Laura Jane Whitney of Rochester, New York, who died tragically three months after their wedding, and then on April 29, 1878 to Minnie Oglesby of New Orleans, Louisiana, though they separated only a few years after their marriage but never divorced.

A note on the hyphenation of his last name: DeLancey Floyd-Jones is descended from Major Thomas Jones, Welsh privateer and soldier, for whom Jones Beach ,Long Island is named; and Colonel Richard Floyd.

DeLancey Floyd-Jones was related through direct line or marriage to William Floyd and Philip Livingston, both signers of the Declaration of Independence; writer James Fennimre Cooper; John Loudon McAdams; Daniel Webster, Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York, Edith Wharton Jones, and Alexander Hamilton.The immensely popular phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses" was created about his family.

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albert walker publisher/author www.jonesnyhistory.com

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