Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-10-04
SYRACUSE, Sept. %.
To The INDEPENDENT
SKETCH OF GEN. JAMES A. GAR.
FIELD.

N
FIELD.
The position now occupied by Gen Gar
field as distinguished officer in the army
Of The Union, and Union candidate for
Congress in the XIXth Congressional Dis
trict of Ohio, creates, naturally aud prop.
erly, on the part of the people, desire to
know more of his early history.
Gen. Garfield is yet young man. He
struggled successfully with early obstacles
and disadvantages, exhibiting an energy
and an ability rarely shown. In every po.
sition which he has been called TO act, he
has exhibited an industry, capacity and
a capability which have elected general
commendation and admiration.
Gen. Garfield is an effective and elo.
qucnt public speaker, ready powerful
deba'er, and rapidly possesses himself of
full knowledge of every subject to which
be turns his attention.
He is of pure and spotless private repu.
tarion. presenting, in all the adornments OF
a high.toned morality, one Of the most at.
tractive samples of a christian gentlman
As friend, he is candid, faithful and sin.
cere, aud always reliable-as a General
Officer, he is clear, prompt and judicious in
desciSion, and energetic and effrtive in ac,
tion--aS a legislator, he is comprehensive
and elevated in his views, and is far above
the petty schemes and strateges of subtitle
managers-brilliant in natural endowments,
his intellect is broad and comprehensive,
and his attainments of the highest order.
1t need not surprise any one that such a
man should rise rapidly in public estimation,
or that be should become the idol Of the
people-for manly virtue, integrity and up
rightuess, coupled with abilities Of high or
der, will always secure public regard and
confidence
10 speaking of the high qualities whicl
Gen. Garfield has exhibited, we have no
exaggerated tr overdrawn the picture--auC
we hesitate not to predict for him, if hi
life is spared, future at once brilliant and
useful
Gen James A. GurfieId was born in
Orange, Cuyahoga county. Ohio, Novem-
Der l9;h, 1861, making him now nearly
thirty one years of age. His early life was
spent in laboring whenever opportunity of
fered and duriRg one summer, that Of lS4S
was boatman on the Ohio Caual. His pa
rents being poor, he was obliged to labo
from his earliest years. His father dice
when he was year and half old. At the
age of nineteen, after having taught dis
lrict school for Two terms, he entered The
Eclectic Institute at Hiram Portage coun
| ty. lie assisted himself the Fl st term by
ringing the bell'
He soon gave evidence OF more than or
dnary powers for the acquisition aud com
munication of knowledge, and was chosen
10 fill q vacancy among the assistant teach
ers He was rapidly promoted, until he
became one of the main reiances. In the
meantime, in addition 10 his daily labors ht
prepared himself for college. In the sum
mer of 1854 he went to Williams College
Massachusetts, entering the last term o
Sorhmore year. Iu 1856 he graduated
in all colleges there are occasionally men tC
whom succeeding classes look back almost
with veneraton. These are men to whom
an important future is unhcsitatingly con
ceded 10y professors and students. Genera
Garfield was of that number and of hi.
entire class of sixty, he has taken lead =
In the Fall of 1856 he returned to Hiram
and was made Teacher of Ancient Ian
guages and Literature.
In 1857, on the resignation of the for
mer Principal, Rev. A. S. Hayden, be wa
made Chairman of the Board of InStruc
tion. In 1859, he was made Principal
1t the Fall of 1859 he was elected 10 tn
State Senate, where be served with grea
success, and acquired a State wide repu
talion as an able legislator. During tn,
session of lS60.6l, be labored z.alously t
prepare the State for the coming storm
and became Cne of the principal advisers 0
the Governor.
Iu January, 1861, having for severa
years previously studied with an eye t,
the future practice of law, he was admit
ted to the bar by the Snpreme Conrt of th
State.
In September, 1861, he accepted the pc
sitiou of Lieutenant Colonel of 42d o.
Nj. He was shortly after promoted to tn
.Colonelcy The rebels led by Humphre
Marshall, had driven out all the Union me
aud were threatening TO take possession @
the Blue Grass country. Col. CARTEL
with portion of his brigade, proceede
up the Big Sandy. In twenty days aft
leaving Camp Chase he had penetrate
about one hundred miles into the mounta
: Businesses of Eastern Kentucky. On Il
9th of January, 1862. with 100 piekC
! men, he advanced upon Marshall feelr
, e cry inch of his way by scouts. Throug
, the dreariest mud, the heaviest rains, al
r the darkness, he proceeded. On the lot
r at the Forks of Middle Greek, Floyed O.
4 Kentucky. be met the gallant Humphre