Tuhia he tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I te tīmatanga o te Pakanga ā-Iwi, ka whakarerea e Capehart tana mahi hauora i Bridgeport, ā, ka haere ki te ope taua o te Kotahitanga. I tohua ia hei kaihautū o te 1st West Virginia Cavalry i te Mahuru 18, 1861. I te haurua whakamutunga o te tau 1863, i uru ia ki nga pakanga o Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, me Mine Run
He aha? I runga i nga taunakitanga a General Judson Kilpatrick me etahi atu, i whakawhiwhia a Capehart ki te koronel me te whai i a Nathaniel P. Richmond, nana nei i whakarere na te raru o te hauora, hei rangatira mo te ope taua i te Hui-tanguru 22, 1864.