James Spencer enlisted 8 September 1862 at Worth, Lexington, Michigan for the Civil War for 3 years at the age of 20. He was in Company C, 6th Regiment of Michigan Cavalry. He was mustered in on 11 October 1862. He was in the battle of Gettysburg; Look Out Mountain and the battle of the Wilderness. He served under General Custer who commanded the Cavalry Brigade of Volunteers. His brigade fought at Gettysburg under General Phillip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley and in most of the actions in General Grant’s last campaign in 1864.
 
He was taken prisoner at Trevillian Station, Virginia 11 June 1864. He was in Andersonville Prison, Georgia and was exchanged 5 months later in very poor physical condition due to prison conditions.
 
James was discharged from the cavalry 12 June 1865 at Camp Chase Ohio because of pulmonary disease of the lungs. He died on August 1892 at the age of 50 years and is buried at Allenton Cemetery in Michigan. He was 5 ‘ 10”.