After Arnold departed north in the spring of 1781, James went to the camp of Lord Charles Cornwallis. Again he posed as a runaway slave. He was given a job serving General Cornwallis. He moved frequently between British camps. In each case the officers would speak openly about their strategies in front of him. James kept this information in written reports. He gave these reports to other American spies. In this way he relayed much information about the British plans for troop movements and about their weapons. Cornwallis hired James to spy for the British. When he was sent to spy on the Americans he brought back an order for General Daniel Morgan to bring up all his reserves. Morgan didn't have any reserves, it was a false order. But it kept Cornwallis where he was leading to his defeat at the Battle of Yorktown. The intelligence reports from his espionage were also instrumental in helping to defeat the British.