During the Civil War, he served as a private in the 10th Louisiana Infantry Regiment and for a time was with Col. Walerian Sułakowski's brigade in Virginia. He fought against the Union at the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862 and was captured and imprisoned at Fort Delaware. After he was released, he fought at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Second Battle of Bull Run, Battle of Chantilly, Battle of Harpers Ferry, and Battle of Antietam. He rose to the ranks of captain and was captured for a third time at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 12, 1864. He was wounded twice during his service in the Confederate Army, once in the throat and another in the hand. At one time during the war, his brigade was in battle against a Union brigade led by another Polish exile, Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski.