 Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed Crawford as a special commissioner to the United States in Washington, D.C.

Martin J. Crawford organized the 3rd Regiment, Georgia Cavalry in May 1862 to support the Confederate States Army, operating with the Army of Tennessee.Under Crawford's command the 3rd Regiment saw combat, fighting in Kentucky with General Wheeler.The next campaign at New Haven saw most of the regiment taken prisoner—the retreating contingent fought at the Battle of Murfreesboro—then reconstituted under Colonel J.J. Morrison.