The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-06-23


due to the quiet influence of the wife.
He purchased a little cottage 'front.'
ing on the college campus, and they
began their wedding life, poor, and
in debt, but with brave hearts. Mrs.
Garfield is quiet, thoughtful, and
refined woman, fond of reading and
study, and of warm heart. Two
years after his marriage the political
life of General Garfield began. His
sermons had attracted attention to
him, and in 1859 he was brought
forward by the anti-slavery people
of Portage and Summit counties as
their candidate for State Senator.
He was elected by a large majority,
and, young as he was, he at once
took high rank in the Ohio Legisla-
ture, as man unusually well in
formed on the subjects of legislation,
and effective and powerful in debate.
He seemed always prepared TO
speak, and always spoke fluently
and well. When the secession of
the Southern States began, Mr.. Gar
! fields course was manly and out
spoken, and he was among the fore
most to maintain the right ofthe Ma
tional Government to coerce seeded
States. When the time came forap-
pointing the officers for the Ohio
troops, the Legislature was still in
session, and Garfield at once avowed
his intention of entering the service.
He had not resigned the Presidency
of the Hiram Institute upon being
elected To the Senate, but now he
sent in his resignation, and prepar-
ed to place himself and his abilities
wholly at the service of the National
Government.
Gen. Garfeld's military career
was not of a nature to subject him
to trials on a large scale. He was
appointed Colonel of the Forty-sec-
ond Ohio Regiment by Gov. Denni-
son, August II, 1861, but it was not
until December II that orders for
the field were received. The regi-
ment was then sent to Catlettsburg,
Ky, and Col. Garfield was ordered
to report to Gen. Buell. in person.
That officer assigned him to the COM
mand of the Seventeenth Brigade,
and ordered him to drive the rebels
forces under Humphrey Marshall
out of the Sandy Valley, iii Eastern
Kentucky. Gen. Buell. was pre-
pairing to advance on the rebel posi-
ton at Bowling Green. but until
Marshall had been driven back,
such an advance would be perilous,
if not actually impossible. The un-
tried Colonel of the raw Forty-second
Ohio, undertook this task, and ON
his success the army of the depart
ment depended. Marshall had un-
der his command nearly 5000 men,
and to attack him Col Garfield had
four regiments of infantry and eight
companies of cavalry. The rebels
were stationed at the village of
Paintville, 60 miles up the Sandy
Valley, but Marshall, hearing of the
advance of Garfield, fell back to
Prestonburg, leaving small body of
cavalry at his old position to pro-
tect his trains. On the 9Th of Jan
uary, 1862, Col Garfield advanced
ON Marshall's new position, and his
troops were rapidly pushing for
ward in the fast gathering darkness,
when Marshall abandoned his posi-
ton, fired his camp equipage and
stores, and began a retreat which
was not ended until he had reached
Arlington, Va. Col Garfield pursu-
ed the flying enemy the next day,
and some prisoners were taken, but
the rebels had too long a start, and
Col. Garfield finally gave over the
pursuit. This operation in the
Sandy Valley was conducted with
such energy and skill as to receive
the special eommendation of the
commanding General and the Gov
ernment, and Col. Garfield was made
Brigadier-General inc acknowledge
ment of his services. On his arrival
at Louisville, the Army of the Ohio
was already beyond Nashville, on
its march to aid Grant at Pittsburg
Landing. General Garfield hasten
ed after it, assumed command of the
Twentieth Brigade, and reached the
field of Pittsburg Landing on the
second day ofthe battle, and partici-
pated in its closing scenes. The
next day he moved with Sherman's
advance, and had a sharp encounter
with the enemv's rear guard few
miles beyond the battlefield. His
brigade bore its full share in the te-
dious siege operation before Corinth,
and was among the earliest in enter
ing the abandoned town after Gen.
Beauregard's evacuation.
His old malady, fever and ague,
contracted in the days of his tow
path service,was aggravated iii the
malarious climate of the South, and
Gen. Garfield was sent home on sick
leave about the first of August, 1862.
remaining until January, 1868, when
he was ordered to join Gen. Rosecrans
as Chief of Staff. In this position he
remained until his military career
closed. From the day of his appoint
ment he became the intimate associ-
ate and confidential adviser of his
chief, and bore prominent part in
in all the campaigns in Middle Ten
nessee in the spring and summer of
1863. His last conspicuous military
service was at the battle of Chicka-
manga, Sep 10 and 20, 1863, and for
his bravery and generalship in that
engagement he was promoted to the
rank of Maior-General.
At this point the military career
of General Garfield practically came |
to an end. In 1862, while absent
with the Army, and without solicita-
tion ON his part, he had been elected |
to Congress from the old Giddings |
district (the 19th,) in which he re-
sided, and believing that his path of |
usefulness lay in the direction to
which his constituents pointed, he
resigned his commission December
9Th, 1868, and entered upon the du-
ties of statesman's life. In Con-
gress he at once took high rank,
and from his admission to the House
II II