James Barnes (December 28, 1806 – February 12, 1869) was a railroad executive and a Union Army general in the American Civil War.
Early life
Barnes was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the Boston Latin School and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1829, ranking fifth out of 46 cadets, in the same class as Robert E. Lee. He was then commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery, but spent most of his army service as an instructor of tactics and French at the academy.
Barnes married Charlotte Adams Sanford in 1832 (sister of John F. A. Sanford). After the birth of his second son, John Sanford Barnes, he resigned his commission on July 31, 1836, to become a railroad civil engineer On April 4, 1863, Barnes was promoted to brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers, with date of rank established as November 29, 1862. At the Battle of Chancellorsville in May, Barnes' brigade was not heavily engaged. Late in the battle, his division commander, Brig. Gen. Charles Griffin, fell ill, and Barnes assumed command of the 1st Division on May 5, 1863.
Postbellum career
After the war, Barnes returned to his profession of railroad civil engineering and was a member of the government commission that supervised the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. Barnes died in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is buried there in Springfield Cemetery|.