Union General Grant made frequent use of both companies in battle, considering them very mobile and efficient. Hotaling's skill later caught the eye of Union General Edward Ord, who appointed Hotaling and his men as his personal escort group. Hotaling commanded both companies A &amp; B at the Battle of Fort Donelson. Hotaling and Capt. Larison commanded 126 men in the Battle of Shiloh. On November 19, 1863, Hotaling was promoted to the rank of major. After Ord was wounded, Hotaling and his men served as escort to Union General John A. Logan, who later appointed Hotaling as his personal chief of staff. In the summer of 1864, Major Hotaling served under Logan in the ranks of the XV Corps in the Battle of Atlanta. As a part of the Atlanta force, Hotaling may have taken part in Sherman's march to the sea; though, since General Logan had temporarily passed command of the XVth to General Oliver Otis Howard after Atlanta, it is not certain. Major Hotaling did serve under General Logan once more in the Carolinas Campaign.