DeLancey Floyd-Jones

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DeLancey Floyd-Jones

DeLancey Floyd-Jones (1824-1902) - Born 20 Jan 1826, South Oyster Bay, New York. Died 19 Jan 1902, New York City.

Graduated (as DLF Jones) from the United States Military Academy, West Point, 1 Jul 1846, Class of 1846, ranked 45th in the class. He received a brevet to 2nd Lt., 7th U.S. Infantry on graduation.

Mexican War

With the outbreak of the Mexican War he was promoted to 2nd Lt and assigned to the 4th U.S. Infantry. He was at the Siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-21, 1847; Battle of Cerro Gordo, April 17, 1847; the Battle at Molina del Rey, September 8, 1847; and the Assault and Capture of Mexico City. For gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battle of Molina del Rey he was breveted to 1st Lt on September 8, 1847. He was promoted to 1st Lt on January 1, 1848 and assigned in garrison at East Pascagoula, MS in 1848 and Detroit, Michigan from 1848-1850, being aide-de-camp to Bvt. Brigadier-General Brady, February 12 to August 25, 1849.

Pacific Northwest

From 1850-1852 he was on recruiting duty following which he was assigned frontier duty at Benicia Barracks, CA, Fort Vancouver, WA and Fort Steilacoom, WA through 1855. He was promoted to Captain, 4th U.S. Infantry, 31 July 1854. He continued on frontier duty in California and Oregon serving at Category:Fort Dallas, OR, 1855; Category:Fort Humboldt, CA, 1855; Crescent City, CA, 1855-1856; Rogue River Expedition 1856, being engaged in action of Machanoslany Villages, etc., May 1856; Category:Fort Orford, OR, 1856; Category:Fort Yamhill, OR, 1856; Fort Hoskins, OR from 19 Jun 1857 to 19 Jan 19, 1858; and escorting recruits to Category:Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1858; Fort Hoskins, OR from 5 Oct 1858 to 14 Jun 1861; on recruiting service 1856-1860. He was promoted to Major, 11th Infantry, 14 May 1861.

U.S. Civil War

He commanded the 11th Infantry (Army of the Potomac) in the Virginia Peninsular Campaign, March to August, 1862, being engaged in the Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Mechanicsville, Battle of Gaines's Mill, and Battle of Malvern Hill. He was breveted to Lieutenant Colonel on 4 Jul 1862 for gallant and meritorious service during the Peninsular Campaign. He served in the Northern Virginia Campaign, August to September, 1862, including the Battle of 2nd Manassas; in the Maryland Campaign, commanding Regiment (Army of the Potomac) engaged in the Battle of Antietam and the Skirmish at Sharpsburg; and at the Battle at Fredricksburg. He also served in the Rappahannock Campaign, commanding Regiment (Army of the Potomac) March to June, 1863, engaged in the Battle of Chancellorsville; in the Pennsylvania Campaign (Army of the Potomac), being engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg. He was breveted to Colonel, July 2, 1863 for gallant and meritorious service at Gettysburg.

Floyd-Jones was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th U.S. Infantry, August 1, 1863, and posted to the command of Fort Independence, MA, August 15 to October 28, 1863 and of the Fortifications of Boston harbor, October 28, 1863 to March 6, 1865. He was at Detroit, MI from March 31 to August, 1865. He was breveted to Brig. Gen., USA, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services during the war.

Post War

Following the U.S. Civil War, Floyd-Jones served in command of Newport Barracks, KY, October 12, 1865 to March 13, 1866 and of Little Rock, AK, March 27 to August 29, 1866. Following sick leave he was assigned as Acting Assistant Inspector-General and Judge Advocate of the Department of Arkansas, December 1, 1866 to February 13, 1867; Fort Smith, AK, to October, 1867; and of Fort Gibson and District of Indian Territory, October 24, 1867 to January 20, 1868. On June 25, 1867 he was promoted to Colonel and assigned to the 6th U.S. Infantry.

Following a leave of absence, Floyd-Jones was in command of a regiment and Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, February to April, 1869. He served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Idaho Territory, from June, 1869 to November 1, 1870. In January 1871, he was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry. From February 15, 1871 to January, 1872 he commanded Fort Dodge, KS, followed by commands at Fort Hays, KS; Fort Riley, KS; Holly Springs, MS; Jackson Barracks, LA; and Helena, MT. He retired March 20, 1879.

Father: Major General Henry Onderdonk Floyd-Jones

Mother: Helen M. Watts

Marriage: m. 1st, June 24, 1852: Laura Jane "Jennie" Whitney (b. 1827- October 4, 1852); m. 2nd, April 29, 1878: Minnie Oglesby (b. 1858-October 18, 1929)

Children: None known

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Floyd-Jones traveled around the world many times, during leaves from the army and after his retirement in 1879. He documented these journeys in letters home, and frequently had his observations and descriptions of these faraway places published in local Long Island, New York newspapers such as The South Side Signal and The Hempstead Inquirer. He also published a well-reviewed book about his travels to India, China, and Japan in the late 1880s, entitled “Letters From The Far East.”

He was also the founder and builder, in 1896, of the first free library on the south shore of Long Island, the Delancey Floyd-Jones Free Library.

After retirement, he became more involved in the many social and military organizations he had joined over the years. In 1847, he was among the establishers of The Aztec Club of 1847. 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 their annual meetings to this day. In 1894 he was elected vice president of the club, and succeeded to the presidency the following year, while also remaining treasurer. He was also an active member of the South Side Sportsman’s Club, The St. Nicholas Society, the Loyal Legion of the United States, and was a lifetime member of the Sons of the Revolution.


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