He commanded a brigade of the 1st, 7th, and 14th Tennessee infantry and one company of Tennessee cavalry. His troops were transported to western Virginia where he played a role in the Cheat Mountain campaign while serving under Robert E. Lee. He then was assigned to the command of William W. Loring and spent the winter of 1861-62 serving in the mountains of western Virginia before being transferred with his brigade to help in the defenses of Yorktown, Virginia. However, his health has been impaired by the harsh service and he resigned on May 10, 1862 and returned home.