Dortch was a member of the North Carolina General Assembly from 1852 to 1861. In 1860 Dortch served as Speaker of the House of Commons. During the Civil War, Dortch served as a senator from North Carolina in the First Confederate Congress and the Second Confederate Congress (from 1862 to 1865).
Dortch was a member of the North Carolina General Assembly for nearly a decade, from 1852 to 1861. In 1860 Dortch became Speaker of the House of Commons. During the Civil War, Dortch served as a senator in two Confederate Congresses (First and Second) from 1862 to 1865.