 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Muna 1861, Morrison akabatsira kuronga uye akagadzwa colonel we49th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment munguva yeHondo yeVanhu. Nokukurumidza pashure pokunge yaunganidzwa mubasa musi waDecember 31, 1861, hurumende yakasungirirwa kuhondo yaUlysses S. Grant kuCairo, Illinois. 49th yakaumbwa kuva brigade ne 17th Illinois uye mabhatiri maviri epfuti uye, kuva mukuru mukuru, Morrison akaiswa mukutungamira kwebhuroka. Boka raMorrison rakatumidzwa kuti 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Dunhu reCairo uye rakabatana neboka raGrant kuFort Henry. Morrison akabatanidzwawo muhondo yeFort Donelson apo mutungamiri wake, John A. McClernand, akasarudza kutora bhatiri reConfederate pakutanga kwekubatana. McClernand akasarudza mapoka maviri aMorrison kuti atungamirire kurwisa uye akasarudza kubatanidza rechitatu regiment kubva kuWHL Wallaces brigade pasi peColonel Isham N. Haynie sekutsigira. Zvisinei, Haynie akanga ari pamusoro paMorrison uye akasarudza kuva mutungamiriri. Pasinei nokuva mutungamiriri weboka racho, Morrison nokuzvidira akazvipira kurega Haynie achitungamirira kurwisa kwacho pakangotanga. Ipapo, Haynie akapindura kuti, Colonel, ngatizviitei pamwe chete. Nokukurumidza pashure pokunge kupfura kwatanga Morrison akarohwa muhudyu, achimubvisa pabhiza rake uye achigadzirisa nhau yokutungamirira. Morrison haana kuzombodzokera kunhandare uye akasiya basa rake musi waDecember 13, 1863. 