Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-06-18

Since his entrance into politics az member
of the Legislature he has not performed any
ministerial duties, but has turned his attention
more to the practice of the law. When the
war broke out General Garfield was n leading
member OF the Ohio state senate, and was the
foremost of q small band of Republicans who
thought IL impolitc to adopt the Constitution
al amendments which had been sent by Com
gress to the States forbdding forever legisla
tiOn on the subject of slavery. He took the
lead In revising an old statute about treason,
and when what was known as the "milion
war bill' came up, he was the most conspiou-
Gus Of its advocates, Troops were being raised
in Ohio early in 1881, and General Garfield at
once notified Governor Dennison of his desire
to enter the service. Garfield was sent to New
York by Governor Dennson to secure arms
for the equipment Of the Ohio troops, and
upon his return was offered bieutenant-Colo-
nelcy i'm n proposed regiment which was never
organized. In August, 1861, however, after Nc
Clcllan's West Virginia campaign, General
Garfield was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of
the Forty-Second Ohio Regiment, for which
had been recruited many of his old pupils at
the Hiram Institute. General Garfield went
aaiilgently at work studying tactics, ana after
Colonelcy of his regiment and started for the
field,
The regiment went first to Kentucky, where
1t reported to General Buell., and Garfield was
at once assigned to the command of the Sew
enteenth Brigade and ordered to drive the
rebel forces, under Humphrey Marshall, out of
Eastern Kentucky. Up to that date no active
operations had been attempted west of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, and General Gar
regiments of infantry and eight companies of
cavalry, charged with the important work OF
driving out of his native state an olicer re-
given to the rebellion. General Garfield had
never seen a gun fired in action, and had no
knowledge of military service except what
had been gained in a few months experience
GARFIELD moved rapidly up the valley with
force numbering only 100 to meet an expert
enced officer with 1900 well-equipped men,
but Marshall retreated before him, and after n
slight sl1irmish Garfield found himself in pos
session of the enemys camp aud baggage. He
pushed the pursuit, and was reinforced by
about 1000 men. The fight that followed was
severe at times, but on the whole desutory,
and continued three days until the troops had
become practically disabled because of a
heavy rainstorm that flooded the mountain
gorEes, and made so strong q current in the
rivers that Garheid's supplies were unable to
The troops were almost out of rations and
the mountainous country was incapable of
supporting them. Garfield went by land to
the base of his supplies and ordered a steam
er to take on II cargo ahd move up to the re-
lief of his troops. The Captain declared 1t was
impossible; n lally Garfield ordered the Cap
tain and his crew on board, stationed senti-
nels in the pilot-hOuse, and, having gained
load, started up stream. The water in the
usually shallow river was sixty feet deep,
and the tree tops along the banks were sub
merged The little vessel trembled from stem
TO stern az every motion of the engines; the
waters whrled her about rs if she were
skiH, and the utmost speed that steam could
give her was three miles an hour When
nlgnJ 1ell Lne captain OF tne ID DtJ ne 4Pcl per-
mission TO tie up. To attempt ascending the
food in the dark he dec ared was madness.
But Colonel Garfield kept his place at the
wheel. Finally, In one of the sudden bends of
the river, they drove with full head of
steam, into the bank. Every effort to back
her OF was in vain. Mattocks were procured,
and excavations were made around the inn
hcdded bow. Still she stuck. Garfield at last
ordered boat to be lowered to take line
across to the opposite bank. The crew pro-
tested against venturing out in the Hood The
Colonel lenped into the boat himself and
steCred il over. A windass of rails was hastily
made, and with long line the vessel was
warped off, and once more was atioat.
1t was Saturday when they left Sandy Creek.
All through that day and night Sunday and
Sunday night, the boat pushed her way against
the current Garfield leaving the wheel but
eight hours of the whole time. thine O'Clock
Monday they reached camp, and Garfield could
scarcely escape being borne to headquarters
on the shoulders of the men. During the
months of January, February and March there
/ were numerous encounters with mountain
/ guerrillas, bLt the Union rms finally pre-
vailed, and the bands of marauders were
driven from the State. Just on the border,
however, mt the rough pass across the noun
/ tains known as Pound Gap, Humphrey Mar
| shall still held a post of observation, with n
/ force of about 800 men. On the l4th of March
! Garfield started with 500 infantry and couple
/ of hundred cavalry against this detachment.
| The distance was forty miles. The roads were
! at their worst, but by evening of the next day
/ he had reached the mountain two miles north
! of the gap. Next morning the cavalry were
| deployed up the gap road, while the infantry
/ were led along an unfrequented path on the
side of the mountain. n heavy snowstOrm
| also helped to mask the movement. While
/ the enemy were Watching the cavalry, Gar
/ field had led the infantry to within quarter
of n mile of their camp. Then an attack
was ordered, the enemy taken by sur
prise, and a few vOlleys sent them in confusion
down the side of the mountain into Virginia.
/ Considerable quantities of stores were cap.
tured. That night the victorious troops rested
in the comfortable log hutS built by the enemy,
and the next morning burned them down. Six
/ Louisville. These operations had been con
Quoted with such energy and skill as to receive
the special commendatiun of the Government
and Colonel Garfield was given a commission
as Brigadier General The discontinue of
| Humphrey Marshall was a source of special
chagrin to the rebel sympIthiZcrs of Ken
lucky, and Garfield took rank in popular esti-
nation among the most promising of the vol
unteer Generals. On his return to Louisville
after the campaign he found the army of the
Ohio already beyond Nashville, on its march
! TO Grants aid at Pittsburg Ian ling. He hast
ened after it, and assumed command of the
10th Brigade. He reached the field on Pitts
burg Landing about / oc clock on the second
day of the battle, and partc pat ell in the clos
ing scenes. When General Buell. sought tC
prepare new campaign he assigned Genera
Garfield to the task of rebuilding the bridge;
and railroad from Corinth TO Decatur. Aftel
performing the duty with great skill and en-
ergy he found himself reduced by fever anC
aRue which he had contracted i'm the days o
his tow-path service ON the Ohio Canal, anC
went home on sick leave. Soon after he re
CclNe0 orders 10 DrOceeu 10 NuInDtflanu NThl
and relieve General George w. Morgan of his
command, but he was too i'll To leave his bed
and another officer was sent to the service.
As soon us his health would permit he wa
ordered to Washington where he was PLACED
upon cDurt-martial tor the noted trial of Fit
John Porter. General Garfield was one of thu
clearest and foremost in the conviction o
Porter's guilt, and had the bill To restore Por
ter ever been brought up in the house of Rep
rcsentatiVes he would have made deter
mined opposition to its passage, but Genera
I IpUnu finished the shameful scheme in tll
Senate and General Guriield never had AN op
portunity TO deliver speech which he hn'
prepared with great thoTOughness and care
After the trial of FitZ John Porter he was ap
pointed Chief of staff to General Rosecrans
and from the day of his appointments becam
the intimute associate ana confidential advise
of his chief. Gariield's influence had becOm
so important in shaping campaigns that h
was always consulted, and during the success
ful campaigns that followed Chickamauga h
took an active part. During this campuig
he had been elected 10 Congress 10 succee
Joshua Il. Giddings, who had served for twer
; ~ years as the representative from the dis
trict composed OF the large and prosperOu
! counties in northeastern Ohio. He resigne
from the army under the belief that the pat
of usefulness to his country lay in the diret
| tion of Congress rather than the miitar
J service. He sacrificed what seemed to be hi
, personal interest, and resigning his COmmi!
! sion he entered the Thirty-eighth Congress.
| Before taking his seat he was promoted to h
> Major General of volunteers. The delivery @
his early speeches stamped Garfield as one c
the readest and most forcibe dehaters i
} Congress. This standing ne never lost, moar
. time in the committee he proved himself a
+. invaluable worker.
In Congress General Garfield at once too
: high rank. He was made a member of tn
: Committee on Military Affairs, where by h
: activity, industry, and familiarity with ih
army, he did signal service, as IN the Held. II
I soon became known as powerful speaker, n
markahly ready, and always effective in d.
bate. lie was rcnominated by acclamation
! the convention of the party in his district tC
= the Thity-ninth Congress, and was re-electo
by IA majority of over twelve thousand, I
= highly was he now ranked in the House thu
D he was given place ON Ways and Means. II
studied the whole range of financial question
g with the assiduity of his old college days, an
y was spoken of by the e)retary of the TieA
b ury as one OF the best-informed men ON sue
topics then In public life. During his CO..
d gressional career some of his most notaD
n speeches were made upon tho iaVoling OF III
u Constitutional amendment prohi liting SLAYER
o anywhere within the limits OF the Unite
}, States. on reconstruction aud treatment of Il
Z negroes aud later upon financial topics.
a 1866 he was renOnin mated by accamation, an
IS was elected in the fall election by large m
@ iOrity. Through the contests of the Fortiel
l. Congress with the President he was firmly {
n the radical side. His heath was seriously II
u paired by his laborious discharge of publ