Civilwar

James L. Sheffield was born on Dec. 5, 1819 in Huntsville, Al. and moved to Claysville in 1837, where he clerked in a store and served as deputy sheriff from 1844-47. Sheffield was a sucessful politician and was seldom defeated in his bids for office. He was elected representative of Marshall County in 1855, 1857, and 1865 and was a member of the Alabama constitutional convention of 1861 and 1865.

Sheffield became a leader in the Greenback Party in Alabama and was a candidate for Governor in 1882.

Although he was endorsed by the Republicans, Sheffield lost in his bid for the governor's chair, but was elected in 1886 to the Alabama Senate.

Few Marshall Countians were as devoted to the Confederacy as was Sheffield. He joined the CSA in 1861 as lieutenant of Company K, Ninth Alabama Infantry, and was given orders to return to Marshall County in April of 1862 to raise a regiment. Sheffield raised the regiment of Marshall Countians within one short month. The company went into the 48th Alabama Infantry. Sheffield spent over $50,000 of his own money to help keep his troops supplied, and was elected colonel of the regiment. Sheffield saw action in several major battles, including Gettysburg and Chickamauga. He was wounded in the latter battle and was forced to retire from military life.

Sheffield was married on June 21, 1844 to Mary Ann Street of Warrenton, Alabama. They had several children together and she had a son by a previous marrage. Sheffield's wife Mary Ann died prior to the civil war and after her death and the civil war he became a friend, etc. to my to be GreatGrandma, Sarah Ann Bright.

Sheffield was not married to, but he and Sarah Ann Bright had several children. My Great Grandmother was Cora Lee Bright (1872) a daughter of Sheffield and Sarah Ann.

Battles Col. Sheffield was in:

Sharpsburg----Taliaferro's Brigade

Gettysburg----Hood's Division-Law's Brigade

Little Round Top-- Hood's Division

Antietam--Taliaferro's Brigade

Chattanooga Campaign--Law's Brigade

Cedar Run-- wounded and forced to retire.

In 1860 he owned one of the largest plantations in Marshall County. He owned 34 slaves. He was elected as one of the delegates to the secession convention in Montgomery and did sign the Confederate States of America Constitution. Col. Sheffield died July 2, 1892 and is buried in Montgomery, Alabama.