Jones Withers

Jones Mitchell Withers
Jones Mitchell Withers
Born	(1814-01-12)January 12, 1814 Madison County, Alabama
Died	March 13, 1890(1890-03-13) (aged 76) Mobile, Alabama
Place of burial	Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama
Allegiance	United States of America Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1835–36, 1847–48 (USA) 1861–65 (CSA)
Rank	Colonel (USA) Major general (CSA)
Commands held	9th U.S. Infantry
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War American Civil War
Relations	Bryan M. Thomas (son-in-law)

Jones Mitchell Withers (January 12, 1814 – March 13, 1890) was a United States Army officer who fought during the Mexican–American War and later served as a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. He also was a lawyer, politician, and businessman from the state of Alabama.

Withers was born in 1814 in Huntsville, located in both Madison County and Limestone County, Alabama. He was a son of John Wright Withers, a Virginia planter, and of Mary Herbert Jones. He was of English descent. Withers received his education at Greene Academy in Huntsville. In 1831 he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated four years later standing 44th out of 56 cadets. He was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons on July 1, 1835. He was posted to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and resigned his commission the following year on December 5.

After resigning, Withers began a law practice in Alabama. In 1836 he entered the state's militia forces, and he later became a cotton broker. On January 12, 1837, Withers married Rebecca Eloise Forney, and the couple had ten children together. He was admitted to Alabama's bar association in 1838. During the Mexican–American War, Withers was appointed a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army on March 3, 1847, and was assigned to the 13th U.S. Infantry. He was promoted to colonel on September 13 in the 9th U.S. Infantry, and resigned on May 23, 1848.