James E. Sterling

James E. Sterling (born 1838, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Biography Born in 1838 in Baltimore, Maryland, Sterling was still living in that city when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a coal heaver on the . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he helped supply ammunition to Brooklyn's guns despite being wounded, and continued at this task until receiving a second wound. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.