James Etter Shelley
was the son of William Parke Shelley, therefore the nephew of Abigail Shelley Woodward .
He was born September 2, 1831 and never married.
His family is listed in a letter of brother Henry .
He worked in the construction business with his father and brothers Charles and Henry (Tobe). In a July 1859 letter to another brother Nathan George in Austin, he explained "Since Charlie became a candidate every bit of time that I could spare from my business has been employed in trying to secure his election, and I think his prospects now are very good. In fact, unless things change mightily, he is bound to be elected, but still if he is not then will be nothing lost except a little time, though I would give the best horse in the county to see him beat Bill Knox. It may seem strange to you that he is a candidate instead of me. The reason is this, I expected to read Law this year + was unwilling to bind myself to stay here for the next four years, although I may do it anywhere, so to the present time I have had no time to read and I am afraid I will get along slow this year."
James enlisted in the 10th Alabama.
At Gettysburg the brigade, with 1,726 men, participated in Pickett's Charge.
Wilcox's Brigade Brig. General Cadmus M. Wilcox
8th Ala. Lieut. Colonel Hillary A. Herbert
9th Ala. Captain J.H. King
10th Ala. Colonel William H. Forney (w, c);
Lieut. Colonel James E. Shelley
11th Ala. Colonel J.C.C. Sanders (w);
Lieut. Colonel George E. Tayloe
14th Ala. Colonel L. Pinckard (w);
Lieut. colonel James A. Broome
Brigade loss: 51 killed, 469 wounded, 257 captured or missing
Total: 777
No. 304. Reports of Brigadier General Cadmus M. Wilcox,
C. S. Army, commanding Fourth Brigade, of the battles of Gaines' Mill and Frazier's Farm (Nelson's Farm, or Glendale).
HDQRS. FOURTH BRIGADE, LONGSTREET'S DIVISION, July 13, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part borne by my brigade in the battle of Friday, the 27th ultimo:
The list of killed and wounded of the brigade has been forwarded before this. Of the officers killed and severely wounded I may mention the names of Captain W. M. Lee, Tenth Alabama, mortally wounded (since dead); Lieutenant W. C. Faith, Eleventh Alabama, killed; Captain Thomas Phelan, Lieuts. C. M. Maynard, Lane, and August Jansen, of Eighth Alabama, killed. Captain E. Y. Hill, Ninth Alabama, was killed far in advance on the field. Of the dangerously wounded are Captain Hannon, Lieutenants McHugh and McGrath, of Eighth Alabama; Captain [T. H.] Hobbs, Ninth Alabama; Lieutenant [J. E.] Shelley, adjutant Tenth Alabama, and Lieutenant Wayland, quartermaster of Ninth Alabama, severely wounded.
The casualties among the officers of the brigade number in killed, 8; wounded, 35; officers and men killed, 117; wounded, 463; missing, 4;
James was killed at Petersborough, Virginia. In September 1864 his sister Minerva wrote a very informative letter regarding his death.
A Talladega newspaper article and a letter from a fellow officer also describe his death.
James was reinterred at
Oak Hill cemetery, Talladega.