James had served as Captain of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, a militia unit active since before the Revolutionary War.

In March, it was ordered into Tennessee, where it fought several battles over the next few months with John Hunt Morgan's Confederate cavalry, capturing hundreds of his men, including his second-in-command and his quartermaster.

During the Chickamauga campaign during the late summer of 1863, the regiment fought in several skirmishes and captured part of the advance guard of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's corps.

After the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston's army at the Bennett Place in North Carolina, the 9th was mustered out at Lexington, Kentucky, and finally disbanded at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Even early in the war when Confederate cavalry was normally superior to most Union forces, the regiment won most of its encounters with the enemy.