[3] When the Civil War broke out, Sayers joined the Confederate States Army's 5th Texas Regiment, a cavalry unit led by General Tom Green.

He participated in the Battle of Valverde in New Mexico in February 1862, and was recommended for promotion for his bravery in capturing an artillery battery.

After Green died at the Battle of Blair's Landing, Sayers became the assistant adjutant to General Richard Taylor.

[citation needed] Sayers entered political service in 1873, when he became a state senator in the 13th Texas Legislature.

[3] After his term ended in 1875, Sayers spent three years as chairman of the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee.

In 1888, in the election to the 51st Congress, Sayers won against the Republican nominee for the district, the popular civic leader Augustus Belknap of San Antonio.

[5] Sayers was supported by House in his campaign against Martin McNulty Crane in the Democratic party primary.

[6] Sayers won the gubernatorial election against Barnett Gibbs, the Populist party candidate, and took office in early 1899.

His term saw increased spending on education, prisons, and social service institutions and outlawed railroad rebates.

Other parts of the state suffered from a severe drought, and boll weevils caused widespread cotton destruction.