Durfee akapiwa basa mu17th Infantry Regiment uye akaiswa paFort D.A. Russell muWyoming. Akashanda pabasa rapamuganhu kusvikira muna 1893, uye akapinda muHondo yeGhost Dance. Durfee akashanda achiremekedzwa panguva yeKukombwa kweSantiago semutungamiri wekutanga, uye akagamuchira Silver Star nokuda kwebasa rake muHondo yeEl Caney
. Pakati pa1899 na1905, Durfee akaenda kuPhilippines katatu uye akashanda mumishandirapamwe mishoma yakawanda pamwe chete neChitatu Sulu Expedition. Durfee akashanda munzvimbo dzinoverengeka muU.S., kubatanidza Fort McPherson, Fort Brady, Fort Wayne, uyewo pamuganhu neMexico. Pashure pokupedza kudzidza paUnited States Army War College, Durfee akaramba ari pachikoro semudzidzisi, uye muna 1918 akava chikamu cheGeneral Staff uye akava Mutungamiriri weVashandi veDhipatimendi reSouthern.