During the Civil War, Ayers enlisted in 1861 in the Union Army as a private in Company A, Fourth Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry.

[5] Voters overwhelmingly ratified the new Constitution presented by the convention in 1869, and Virginia was readmitted to the Union.

He defeated Conservative Joseph Eggleton Segar (whom the U.S. Congress had refused to seat the previous two sessions and again unsuccessfully claimed a seat in this Congress) as well as Independents Daniel M. Norton (an African American aligned with the Readjuster Party who also had served in that constitutional convention and would serve in the Virginia Senate) and George W. Lewis.

Former Confederate veteran and Democrat John Critcher was elected and served one term.

[7] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress