John was born at Trier in 1827 before emigrating to the United States at the age of 17 to Pittsburgh as a temporary teacher at a Catholic school before enlisting in the Mexican–American War until he was discharged at Philadelphia.

[1] When the American Civil War broke out, Koltes mobilized the Maennerchor Rifle Guards around April 1861 before helping to muster the 73rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and the regiment began training at Lemon Hill at the Eagle and Wolf hills where the 73rd Pennsylvania would often enjoy picnics.

[1] The 73rd Pennsylvania was then assigned to General Ludwig Blenker's division of the Army of the Potomac and would then serve at the Northern Virginia Campaign.

[3] When Koltes came up to the ridge, he noticed remnants of Nathan G. Evans's South Carolina brigade, the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment and some of James L. Kemper's men and were threatening his right flank.

B. Richardson's artillery began showering the Union Army with projecticles, Kotles dashed out, feeling compelled to take action and was described as "waving his sword high in the air" and ordered a charge on the Confederate artillery due to the surrounding infantry being confused but when a cannon launched a shell, it stuck some of his men along with Koltes himself, mortally wounding him before the charge could gain any momentum.