Kọ́kọ́ parí gbólóhùn yìí: Nígbà tí Hoffman wà lọ́mọ ọdún mẹ́ẹ̀ẹ́dọ́gbọ̀n, ó wọṣẹ́ ológun nígbà Ogun Abẹ́lé. Lẹhin ti o forukọsilẹ ni Philadelphia ni Oṣu Kẹjọ Ọjọ 10, Ọdun 1861, lẹhinna o ni ifowosi ni ọjọ kanna bi ọmọ-ogun pẹlu Ile-iṣẹ E ti 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry (ti a tun mọ ni "Fire Zouaves"). Ti a gbe pẹlu regiment rẹ si Virginia, o ri igbese ni Ijakadi ti Ball's Bluff (October 21, 1861), o kopa ninu awọn ilọsiwaju nipasẹ awọn ọmọ ogun Union ti Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks lori Winchester ati Yorktown, o si ja ni Awọn Ijakadi Ọjọ meje ti
Seven Pines (tí a tún mọ̀ sí Fair Oaks, May 31 sí June 1, 1862), Savage's Station (June 29, 1862), àti Malvern Hill (July 1, 1862) kí ó tó kópa nínú àwọn ogun Antietam (September 17, 1862), Fredericksburg (December 12<unk>15, 1862), àti Chancellorsville (April 30 sí May 6, 1863). Ni Oṣu Kẹwa Ọjọ 1, 1863, a gbe e lọ si Ile-iṣẹ 143rd ti Battalion 2nd, U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps (ti a tun mọ bi awọn ara ti ko ni ailera), ati pe o jẹ lẹsẹkẹsẹ ti o ni ọlá.