At the start of the American Civil War, Love served as a major, brigade inspector and chief of staff for Brigadier General Thomas A. Morris with the Indiana volunteers in the Western Virginia campaign. He was with Morris during skirmishing starting July 7, 1861 at Laurel Hill, from which the Confederates withdrew on July 11 after the Union Army victory at the Battle of Rich Mountain. Then, he was engaged at the Battle of Corrick's Ford where Union forces killed Confederate Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett and routed the Confederate force. According to Eicher, Love was mustered out of the Union Army on August 1, 1861.