James Bell (Medal of Honor)

James Joseph Bell (July 1, 1845 – June 1, 1901) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars.

In March 1876, Company E Seventh Infantry, commanded by Captain Walter Clifford, departed their station at Camp Baker, Montana, to join General John Gibbon in preparation to launching against the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne who had refused to come into the reservations.

They arrived at the tragic scene of the Battle of the Little Bighorn two days after Custer and his men had lost their lives.

To accomplish this dangerous mission of attacking Indians in their home land, three privates from Captain Clifford's company volunteered to carry the message: Bell, William Evans, and Benjamin F. Stewart.

Private Bell was promoted to sergeant and spent the remainder of his professional life in the Army, serving eight enlistments in all.