author

Virgil Carrington Jones

1906–1999

A veteran newspaperman who turned deep reporting into lively history, he became especially known for books on the Civil War and other dramatic episodes of American life.

1 Audiobook

U.S.S. Cairo: The Story of a Civil War Gunboat Comprising a Narrative of Her Wartime Adventures by Virgil Carrington Jones, and an Account of Her Raising in 1964 by Harold L. Peterson

U.S.S. Cairo: The Story of a Civil War Gunboat Comprising a Narrative of Her Wartime Adventures by Virgil Carrington Jones, and an Account of Her Raising in 1964 by Harold L. Peterson

by Virgil Carrington Jones, Harold L. (Harold Leslie) Peterson

About the author

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 7, 1906, he studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and then earned a B.A. from Washington and Lee University in 1930. Before building his reputation as an author, he worked in journalism, including posts at the Huntsville Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Washington Evening Star, and The Wall Street Journal.

Jones wrote widely on American history, with a strong focus on the Civil War. His best-known books include Ranger Mosby, Gray Ghosts and Rebel Raiders, The Civil War at Sea, and The Hatfields and the McCoys. His research-driven storytelling reached beyond the page too: The Gray Ghost television series drew on his work, and he served as a technical adviser.

He died on November 29, 1999. Readers still return to his books for their clear, narrative style and for the way he brought soldiers, feuds, and turning points in U.S. history to life without losing sight of the facts.