Dhameystir weedha soo socota: Hardee wuxuu iska casilay guddiga ciidanka Mareykanka bishii Janaayo 31, 1861, ka dib markii gobolkiisii Georgia uu ka go'ay Midowga. Wuxuu ku biiray Ciidanka Mareykanka ee Koonfurta isagoo ahaa kornayl bishii Maarso 7 waxaana la siiyay amar ku saabsan Forts Morgan iyo Gaines ee Alabama. Kadib waxaa loo dalacsiiyay brigadier general (17 Juun) iyo major general (7 Oktoobar). Bishii Oktoobar 10, 1862, wuxuu ka mid ahaa taliyaashii ugu horeeyay ee Confederate. Shaqadii ugu horeysay ee uu qabtay ee uu ahaa janaraal wuxuu ahaa inuu abaabulo guuto ka tirsan guutooyinka Arkansas wuxuuna ku farxay raggiisa iyo saraakiishii la shaqaynaysay xallinta dhibaatooyinka sahayda adag iyo tababarka dhammaystiran ee uu siiyay guurtidiisa. Wuxuu helay naaneysta, "Old Reliable", inta uu ku jiray amarkan. Hardee wuxuu ka howlgalay Arkansas ilaa loo yeeray inuu ku biiro General Albert Sidney Johnston's Army of Central Kentucky oo ah taliyaha guutada. Johnston waxa uu ka soo bixi doonaa Kentucky iyo Tennessee, ilaa Mississippi, ka hor inta uusan bilaabin weerar kadis ah
Dagaalkii Shiiloh guga sanadkii 1862. Hardee waxaa lagu dhaawacay gacanta bishii Abriil 6, 1862, intii lagu jiray maalintii ugu horreysay ee dagaalka. Johnston waxaa lagu dilay Shiloh iyo Hardee's corps waxay ku biireen General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee ka hor inta aan la qabsan Korintos, Mississippi, ilaa Taliyaha Waaxda PGT Beauregard uu ka daadgureeyay magaalada wuxuuna u noqday Tupelo. Beauregard waxaa badalay Bragg, oo markii dambe ciidankiisa u wareejiyay Chattanooga ka hor inta uusan bilaabin Weerarkiisa Confederate Heartland ee Kentucky. Dagaalkaas waxaa lagu soo gabagabeeyay dagaalkii Perryville bishii Oktoobar 1862, halkaas oo Hardee uu ku amray garabka bidix ee ciidanka Bragg.