A Perry County Civil War Soldier: Sergeant John Jones

A Perry County Civil War Soldier: Sergeant John Jones. Perry County Bicentennial.

1860: President Abraham Lincoln elected. , 1861: Civil War began. , 1861-1865: Perry County sent hundreds of men to the Civil War.

, During the Civil War (1861-1865), Perry County sent hundreds of men to the battlefront. They served from Virginia to Tennessee to Florida, and on Pennsylvania's own soil in 1863. This marker tells the story of one Perry County soldier, John Jones, and in doing so, tells the story of many., John grew up on a farm in Juniata Township. AS the oldest son, he worked hard in the fields, but he also had ambitions. Before he enlisted in the nine-month 133rd PA Regiment in August of 1862, he studied law in New Bloomfield., For three plus months, the soldier drilled for hours and tried to stay warm as the days grew cold. They moved their camps occasionally, working their way south. Finally, on December 13, 1862, the 133rd "got into its first fight.", The soldiers crossed the Rappahannock River into Fredericksburg, Virginia and advanced on the Confederates entrenched above them behind a wall. For an hour, the men struggled to hold their position until finally they retreated. When they crossed back over the river some thirty hours later, they had to walk in knee-deep mud in torrential rain. Thankfully, John was not hurt, but many Perry County soldiers were. The battle was a great defeat for the Union troops., In May, 1863 the 133rd fought at Chancellorsville, Virginia, another loss for the Union. Their role was a minor one, fighting parties of Confederates in a wooded area. Then, with his enlistment up, Sgt. Jones returned home., One year later, John Jones enlisted in the 9th PA Cavalry which needed men to fill its ranks after fighting in so many battles., Sadly, seven months later, after reenlisting, Jones died on March 10, 1865 during the brief battle of Monroe's Crossroads in North Carolina. This was one of the last cavalry battles of the Civil War. Just twenty-six years old, he made the ultimate sacrifice. When New Bloomfield veterans formed a Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) post, they named the post for Sgt. John Jones. His name lives on.