Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Pakatanga Hondo Yenyika yeAmerica, Jones akabva angobatana neUnited States Army. Musi waJuly 7, 1861, akanyoresa ne37th New York Volunteers, inozivikanwa se "Irish Rifles", pasi paColonel John H. McCunn. Pakutanga akanga ari munhuwo zvake asi nokukurumidza akazviwana achisarudzwa kuti ave mukuru mukuru wechipiri nevarume vari muuto. Akanga aripo paHondo Yokutanga yeBull Run, masvondo maviri chete mushure mokunge apinda muchiuto, asi haana kuona chiito sezvo chikwata chacho chakachengetedzwa. Jones akaratidzira "kuzvibata kwakanaka" mukati memakore ake okutanga nehurumende uye nokukurumidza akakwira muchikamu chevatungamiri vekutanga uye mutungamiri wepamusoro musi waNovember 4, 1861, uye ipapo mukuru mukuru musi waJanuary 21, 1862. Iye ne "Irish Rifles" vakazobatana naGeneral Samuel P. Heintzelman's III Corps, sechikamu che3rd Brigade ye3rd Division pasi paBrigadier General Philip Kearny, panguva yePeninsula Campaign uye vakapinda muWilliamsburg,
Seven Pines neSeven Days mushandirapamwe. Jones akanga aripowo apo 37th New York Volunteers, ipapo yakabatanidzwa ku 3rd Brigade ye 1st Division ye III Corps, yakanga iri muHondo yechipiri yeBull Run. Muna May naJune, akatanga kurwara nemarariya uye akaiswa muchipatara muWashington, D.C. musi waSeptember 26 achigara ikoko kusvikira pakupera kwaOctober. Akanga ariwo kwenguva pfupi mukuru kuna Major General Franz Sigel pamberi pemudyandigere weGeneral Ambrose Burnside uye kurongekazve kweArmy of the Potomac.