John W. Ames (colonel)

John Worthington Ames (1833-1878) was an American Brevet Brigadier General and engineer who participated in the American Civil War. He commanded the 6th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the war, previously being within the 11th Infantry Regiment.

Early years
John was born on November 23, 1833, at Lowell, Massachusetts. He spent his early career attending schools at Cambridge, Massachusetts, beginning with the Hopkins School before entering the Scientific School of Harvard University and graduating in September 1854. He then travelled to Shanghai, China in December 1854 before becoming a civil engineer at Allen's Grove, Wisconsin on May 14, 1857. In 1859, he became a land surveyor at Bloomington, Illinois under the firm of Haven & Ames. He then spent eight months at Texas as an engineer on the Buffalo, Bayou, Brazos & Colorado River Railroad.

American Civil War
On the outbreak of the American Civil War, Ames became a captain in the 11th Infantry Regiment on May 14, 1861. Ames was brevetted to Major for "gallantry in action" during the Battle of Gaines' Mill. On September 28, 1863, Ames accepted a commission to be given command of the 6th United States Colored Infantry Regiment as a colonel of the regiment. Ames was wounded during the Battle of Chaffin's Farm while commanding the Third Brigade of the Second Division of the XVIII Corps. On January 15, 1865, he was brevetted to Brigadier General for his services throughout the war. After the end of the war, Ames was mustered out on September 20, 1865, at Wilmington, North Carolina.

Ames said of his reason for fighting the war:

"Slavery has brought death into our own households already in its wicked rebellion…There is but one way [to win the war] and that is emanicpation…I want to sing ‘John Brown’ in the streets of Charleston, and ram red-hot abolitionism down their unwilling throats at the point of the bayonet."

Later years
Ames married Margaret Corlis Plumly on May 17, 1865, before becoming employed at the Burlington & Missouri Railroad in Iowa as Ames moved to Burlington, Iowa, before moving to San Francisco to become a Surveyor-general. Ames was also an author of various magazines and newspapers, mostly about his service during the American Civil War. Ames died on April 6, 1878, at San Rafael, California and was buried at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery.