Kammala wannan jumla: Duk da ƙuruciyarsa, Kirkland ya shiga rundunar sojojin Amurka a shekara ta 1861, ba da daɗewa ba bayan da aka ayyana yaƙin, kafin 'yan'uwansa. Da farko an sanya shi zuwa Kamfanin E, 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, amma daga baya aka tura shi zuwa Kamfanin G na wannan rundunar, kuma an daukaka shi zuwa sarge. Ya fara aiki a lokacin yakin farko na Bull Run (Manassas na farko), kuma daga baya a cikin
Yaƙin Tashar Savage, Yaƙin Maryland Heights da Yaƙin Antietam, a lokacin da aka kashe yawancin abokansa na kusa daga County Kershaw.