James BIRD,
Son of William BIRD and Marie BARTHELMESS, enlisted as a private in Company A, 2nd Battalion, Georgia Calvary on May 15, 1862 at Savannah, Georgia. Twenty-seven year old James is found in the 1860 Effingham County Census with a Springfield, Georgia address. He was promoted to Sergeant Major of 2nd Battalion 26 Dec 1862. He transferred to Company I, 5th Regiment, Georgia Cavalry 20 Jan 1863. The roll for Dec, 1864, the last one on file, lists him as being present. He was born on 27 Apr 1833, and died on 21 Dec 1911.

JAMES BIRD, farmer, Springfield, Effingham Co., Ga., son of William and Maria Bird, was born in Effingham county, April 27, 1833. His father was a large planter, who was also engaged in saw-milling, and was a strict member of the Baptist church. Of eight children born to his parents, Mr. Bird was the fourth. He was educated in the Springfield academy, and when eighteen years old engaged in farming and the timber business. When the civil war began he joined the Fifth regiment Georgia cavalry, and in March, 1862, with it entered the Confederate service. The regiment was commanded by Col. Edward Bird, a brother of the subject of this sketch. With his command he saw service from Florida to Virginia and west to the mountains, and was in many engagements of more or less importance, and numberless skirmishes. He was in the battle of Noonday church, Ga., at Murfreesboro, Tenn., Saltville, and Bear Creek station, in the battles near Macon, and that at Aiken, S. C., where he was wounded and sent to the hospital, soon after which the war came to a close. He was sergeant-major of the regiment. Immediately after the war he resumed farming and has engaged largely in the timber and wood business, and has given his undivided attention to this business ever since. Although unambitious of political office, he has served the county as treasurer a number of years. He is a good business man, and a superior manager, and has a fine property and nice home a few miles from Springfield, near where he was born. He is one of the county's most upright and substantial citizens, enjoying the confidence of all. Mr. Bird was married to Miss Martha H. Berry, daughter of John B. and Mary Berry, and to them ten children have been born: Leona Irene, Lilla A., Maggie G., Mary Ella, Jennie Lou, Borgia Eugenia, Ada A., Verda Ethlyn, Ramah Jordan and Nollie Viola. He is an active and prominent member of the Methodist church, which he joined when he was fifteen years old, and of which he is a steward and trustee. James Bird is now a member of the First regiment cavalry, Georgia volunteers, and was appointed paymaster of the regiment by Col. W. W. Gordon.