). ▁Jones ▁took ▁up ▁amateur ▁dram at ics ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁utility ▁man ▁at ▁the ▁Boston ▁Theatre ▁during ▁the ▁season ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 8 - 5 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁Boston ▁census ▁his ▁occupation ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁cl erk . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁at ▁Brook lyn , ▁Jones ▁joined ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Regiment ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Milit ia , ▁Company ▁F , ▁as ▁a ▁private . ▁ ▁The ▁regiment , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Red ▁Leg ged ▁Dev ils , ▁saw ▁action ▁in ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁engag ements ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁including ▁Bull ▁Run ▁and ▁G ett ys burg . ▁ ▁Regiment al ▁losses ▁during ▁the ▁war ▁amount ed ▁to ▁ 7 2 1 ▁men , ▁including ▁killed , ▁wounded ▁and ▁missing . ▁ ▁Jones ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁ser ge ant ▁and ▁later ▁to ▁ser ge ant ▁major , ▁leaving ▁the ▁army ▁on ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁later ▁life , ▁when ▁he ▁performed ▁as ▁an ▁ill usion ist , ▁he ▁elev ated ▁his ▁rank ▁and ▁called ▁himself ▁" Col onel ▁H . J . ▁S argent , ▁the ▁W izard ▁of ▁the ▁South ". ▁ ▁Post ▁war ▁An ▁entry ▁in ▁the ▁Washington ▁Even ing ▁Star ▁dated ▁September ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁reported ▁that ▁" H . ▁S argent ▁Jones , ▁of ▁New ▁York , ▁has ▁been ▁appointed ▁to