 Porterfield akapomerwa mhosva yekuratidzira kwakashata kwesimba reConfederate paPhilippi uye akakumbira dare rekuongorora, iro rakagumisa musi waChikunguru 4, 1861, kuti mapikicha aive pabasa pamberi pekurwiswa, kuti ruzhinji rwehutungamiriri hwaPorterfield rwakasiya munda uri muchimiro chakanaka uye kuti Porterfield aive achigadzirira kubuda muPhilippi nekukurumidza pazuva rekurwiswa nekuti akaona kuti aive munjodzi yekurwiswa nechisimba chakakura cheUnion. Mukuru mukuru Lee akasarudza kuti Colonel Porterfield aifanira kurangwa, kunyange zvazvo pasina chirango chakakomba zvikuru, nokuda kwokusava akagadzirira. Porterfield akatsiviwa mukutungamira kwemauto eConfederate kumadokero kweVirginia naBrigadier General Robert S. Garnett musi wa13 Chikumi 1861, mazuva gumi mushure mehondo. Porterfield akasiyiwa achitungamirira mauto paBeverly. Simba raGarnett revarume vanenge 5.000 rakatambura kukundwa kukuru zvikuru paHondo yeRich MountainMusi waJuly 11, 1861, uye Garnett pachake akava mukuru wokutanga kuurawa muhondo muHondo Yenyika Maviri mazuva maviri gare gare muhondo yekumashure paHondo yeCorricks Ford. 