Upon the outbreak of the war in 1861, he promptly responded to the call, entering the Confederate service as a private in Colonel Terry's Texas Rangers, and remained in the army until the general surrender of the South. He served in the Eighth Regiment Texas Cavalry of the Rangers, who became famous on both sides of the conflict. Among his principal engagements were Forrest's capture of Murfreesboro; the fighting under Wheeler in 1862; the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Shelbyville, Chickamauga, Marietta, New Hope Church and Decatur. He was wounded six times in battle, three times during the Battle of Atlanta, and three times in other engagements.