John Worthington Ames | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1833-11-23)November 23, 1833 Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | April 6, 1878(1878-04-06) (aged 44) San Rafael, California, U.S. |
| Buried | Mount Tamalpais Cemetery, San Rafael, California |
| Allegiance | United States (Union) |
| Branch | United States Army (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Colonel Bvt.Brigadier General |
| Unit | 11th Infantry Regiment |
| Commands | 6th United States Colored Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Spouse | |
John Worthington Ames (November 23, 1833 – April 6, 1878) was an American Brevet Brigadier General and engineer who participated in theAmerican Civil War. He commanded the6th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the war, previously being within the11th Infantry Regiment.
John was born on November 23, 1833, atLowell, Massachusetts. He was the son of Seth Ames (1805–1881) and Margaret Stevenson Bradford (a daughter ofGamaliel Bradford of theContinental Army).[1]
He spent his early career attending schools atCambridge, Massachusetts, beginning with the Hopkins School before entering the Scientific School ofHarvard University and graduating in September 1854.[1]
He then travelled toShanghai,China in December 1854 before becoming a civil engineer atAllen's Grove, Wisconsin on May 14, 1857.[1] In 1859, he became a land surveyor atBloomington, Illinois under the firm of Haven & Ames.[1] He then spent eight months atTexas as an engineer on the Buffalo, Bayou, Brazos & Colorado River Railroad.[1]
On the outbreak of the American Civil War, Ames became a captain in the11th Infantry Regiment on May 14, 1861.[2][3] Ames was brevetted to Major for "gallantry in action" during theBattle of Gaines' Mill.[2][4] On September 28, 1863, Ames accepted a commission to be given command of the6th United States Colored Infantry Regiment as a colonel of the regiment.[3][4] Ames was wounded during theBattle of Chaffin's Farm while commanding the Third Brigade of the Second Division of theXVIII Corps.[1][2] On January 15, 1865, he was brevetted to Brigadier General for his services throughout the war.[2] After the end of the war, Ames was mustered out on September 20, 1865, atWilmington, North Carolina.[2]
Ames said of his reason for fighting the war:[5]
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.
After marrying, Ames becoming employed at the Burlington & Missouri Railroad inIowa as Ames moved toBurlington, Iowa, before moving toSan Francisco to become a Surveyor-general.[1] Ames was also an author of various magazines and newspapers, mostly about his service during the American Civil War.[1]
On May 17, 1865, Ames married Margaret Corlis Plumly, a daughter of Benjamin Rush Plumley and Rebecca (née Wilson) Plumley. Together, they were the parents of:
Ames died on April 6, 1878, atSan Rafael, California and was buried atMount Tamalpais Cemetery.[4]