Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - James ya shiga cikin 16th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment a lokacin da aka fara yakin basasar Amurka a ranar 13 ga Oktoba, 1861 yana da shekaru 13. A shekara ta 1864 aka kama shi aka kai shi gidan yarin Andersonville. Ya tsira daga Andersonville, kuma lokacin da aka tattara shi a ranar 18 ga Yuli, 1865, ya kasance tare da matsayin kyaftin din, wanda ya dawo a ranar 3 ga Oktoba, 1861, "don nuna jaruntaka da ya nuna a yakin da aka yi a Koranti da Atlanta
. "