Mgbe Agha Obodo dara, a họpụtara Kirkland onye isi n'agha ndị Confederate ma họpụtazie ya ka ọ bụrụ onye isi nke ndị ọrụ afọ ofufo nke 11 nke North Carolina, emesịa họpụta 21st North Carolina, na June 1861. Ọ duziri ndị agha ya na First Manassas dịka akụkụ nke Brig. Gen. Milledge Bonham's brigade, mana etinyeghị aka na ya. N'ọnwa Ọktoba, e tinyere ndị 21st North Carolina na brigade Isaac Trimble na oge opupu ihe ubi na-esote, o sonyere na Stonewall Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. A gbagburu Kirkland n'apata ụkwụ ya abụọ n'oge Agha Mbụ nke Winchester
, na-eme ka ọ ghara ịrụ ọrụ ruo ọtụtụ ọnwa. N'oge mgbake ya, Kirkland jere ozi dị ka onye isi ndị ọrụ maka Patrick Cleburne n'oge mkpọsa Murfreesboro na Disemba 1862.