James, Capt. G. S.
Jones, Maj. Gen. David Rump (1825 - 19 JAN 1863)
Major-General David Rump Jones was born in Orangeburg county, S.C., in 1825.. His family
removed to Georgia in his childhood, and from that State he was appointed to the United States
military academy, where he was graduated in 1846 in the class with Stonewall Jackson,
McClellan and other famous commanders. As a lieutenant of the Second infantry he served in
the war with Mexico, participating in the siege of Vera Cruz, the battles of Cerro Gordo,
Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, and the capture of the city of Mexico, particularly being
distinguished and earning promotion on the fields of Contreras and Churubusco. He
subsequently served as adjutant of his regiment, made the voyage to California in 1848-49, and
with promotion to first lieutenant was on duty there until the fall of 1851, after which he acted as
instructor in infantry tactics at West Point. With the brevet rank of captain of staff he served from
the spring of 1853, successively as adjutant-general of the Western department and
the Pacific department, as acting judge-advocate of the Pacific department, and as assistant
adjutant-general of the department of the West, until his resignation, February 15, 1861. He was
commissioned major in the Confederate States army, and assigned to duty as chief-of-staff of
General Beauregard, in which capacity he visited Fort Sumter on April 13th and offered the
terms of surrender, which were accepted. On June 17, 1861, he was promoted brigadier-general.
With the army under Beauregard at Manassas, Va., he had command of a brigade composed of
Jenkins' Fifth South Carolina and Burt's Eighteenth and Featherston's Seventeenth Mississippi.
In the original Confederate plan of battle, July 21st, he was to have taken a prominent part in the
fight, but the actual events of the day confined him to demonstrations against the Federal flank.
Soon afterward his brigade was composed of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Ninth South Carolina
regiments, until February, 1862, when he was assigned to command of Gen. Sam Jones'
Georgia brigade. He was in charge of General Magruder's first division, including the Georgia
brigade of Robert Toombs and his own under George T. Anderson, during the retreat from
Yorktown, and the battles of Gaines' Mill, Savage Station and Malvern Hill, and other
engagements of the Seven Days before Richmond. In the Second Manassas campaign he
commanded a division of Longstreet's corps, Drayton's brigade having been added to the two
previously mentioned. He drove the enemy through Thoroughfare Gap, held the extreme right
next day, confronting Fitz John Porter, and in the battle of the 30th actively engaged the Federal
left. In the Maryland campaign his division, increased by the addition of Kemper's and Garnett's
Virginia brigades and Jenkins' South Carolina brigade, had a conspicuous part, winning renown
first by the heroic defense of the passes of South mountain, and at Sharpsburg fighting
desperately against the advance of Burnside across the Antietam on the
Confederate right. After this battle he was promoted major-general. His coolness and excellent
judgment as a commanding officer would have doubtless brought still higher honors, but at this
time an affection of the heart to which he had long been subject was greatly aggravated, and
after a lingering illness he died at Richmond, January 19, 1863.
REF: Confederate Military History Vol. 5, pg. 407