Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Mgbe steeti Mississippi kewapụrụ onwe ya tupu mmalite nke Agha Obodo, Barksdale gbara arụkwaghịm na Congress ka ọ bụrụ onye enyemaka nke ndị isi, na mgbe ahụ, onye isi ndị isi, nke Mississippi Militia, na ọkwa nke brigadier general, na ụbọchị nke ogo March 1, 1861. N'ụbọchị mbụ nke ọnwa Mee, a họpụtara ya ka ọ bụrụ onye ọchịagha na ndị agha Confederate States nke 13th Mississippi Infantry, ndị agha nke o duziri na Agha Mbụ nke Bull Run n'oge ọkọchị ahụ, na Agha nke Ball's Bluff n'ọnwa Ọktoba. N'oge opupu ihe ubi sochirinụ, ọ kpọọrọ ndị agha ya gaa Virginia Peninsula ma lụọ ọgụ na Mgbasa Ozi Peninsula na Agha Daysbọchị Asaa. Mgbe ọchịagha ndị agha ya, Brig. Gen. Richard Griffith, merụrụ ahụ nke ukwuu na
Agha nke Savage's Station na June 29, 1862, Barksdale weere iwu nke ndị agha ahụ ma duru ya na dike, mana ọbara na-agba ọbara na enweghị isi, na Agha nke Malvern Hill. A bịara mara ndị agha ahụ dị ka "Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade". E buliri ya n'ọkwa Brigadier General n'ụbọchị iri na abụọ nke ọnwa Ọgọstụ, afọ 1862.