James was born in Keady, County Armagh, Ireland and enlisted into the 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot in August 1802, aged 19. He first served with the Regiment in Buenos Aires in the West Indies, before going on to fight in the Peninsular War of 1808-14.  

It is recorded that he was involved in the siege and capture of Badajoz on the 6th of April 1812, where James was part of the escalade of the castle walls and sacking of the town. It was here that Captain James Macpherson and his unit raised his red jacket up the flagpole to signal the end of the siege and the fall of the Castle. Badajoz Day is still an important commemoration for the Mercian Regiment today. 

James was promoted to Corporal in April 1815, and then Sergeant in November of the same year.  

He was discharged at Cork in November 1818, having been with the 45th Regiment of Foot for many years and seeing action on numerous fronts. He was granted his pension at Killmainham later in the same month.