At the outbreak of the American Civil War, the university student took part in the impending struggle against St. Louis Unionists and aligned himself with the Confederate cause.

Days of rioting ensued after the men were marched back into the city, and he, along with other militiamen, escaped the Federal military, rejoining the pro-Confederate forces.

In the months that followed, he volunteered his services to the newly created Missouri State Guard (MSG) under the leadership of Governor Jackson's appointee, General Sterling Price.

Captain Wright C. Schaumburg was involved in the Battle of Pea Ridge with the Confederate Army of the West on March 7 and 8, 1862 at Elkhorn Tavern.

[5] Amid the defeat of the Confederate forces, his bridage was tasked with covering the rear on their retreat from Springfield, Missouri.

Despite the loss, he was thanked by Henry Little for delivering his orders to various parts of the field under heavy fire, acting as his Assistant Adjutant-General.

When Van Dorn died in May 1863, General Joseph E. Johnston was assigned to the Department of the West with Schaumburg serving in his staff.

[2] In 1869, he joined a filibustering expedition led by Cuban General Domingo de Goicouria and his second in command Colonel Louis Eduardo Cristo.

Schaumburg accepted the position of Chief of Staff for the expedition, which ultimately failed when the steamship Lilian landed in Cuba from New Orleans.