 He had lied about his age so he could enlist in the Union Army in 1861 at the age of 15.Ebbert served in the 1st West Virginia Infantry Volunteers, Company A and later in Company H. (His father, John Van Kirk Ebbert, enlisted in 1861 at age 46, and served as a Sergeant in Company I, 1st West Virginia Infantry Volunteers, and later as Corporal, Independent Pennsylvania Battery H, Light Artillery.