He was engaged on the Chicago & North Western Railway until April 19, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Company E, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment due to the Civil War.
hiː wʌz ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒd ɔnðə ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ ænd nˈɔːɹθ wˈɛstɚn ɹˈeɪlweɪ ʌntˈɪl ˈeɪpɹəl nˈaɪntiːn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, wˌɛn hiː ɛnlˈɪstᵻd æz ɐ pɹˈaɪvət ɪn kˈʌmpəni ˈiː, sˈɛkənd wɪskˈɑːnsɪn ˈɪnfəntɹi ɹˈɛdʒɪmənt dˈuː tə ðə sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ.