Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-09
JAMES a. GARFIELD
Sketch of the Republican Nominee for
President.

Sketch Of the Republican Nominee for
President.
James Abram Garfield of Ohio, and nom
inee of the Republican party for President
fine presence, is about the average hight, of
well-molded figure, and his manner and bear
ing one that always commands respect. His
head is of fine intellectual mold, and of
large brain capacity, with broad high fore
head overshadowing pair of sharp grey eyes,
which bespeak the power of thought and
language which mas given him position as
leader of the Republican party in the lower
House of Congress, and from which he has
been elected to seat in the United. States
wears his whiskers full and rather shortly
trimmed, and his brown hair is thrown back
from his high forehead with the freedom and
careless grace peculiar to a man of thought
and refined ideas. He is q highly educated,
finished scholar, quick, incsive and powerful
in debate, but never utters word in most
heated discussion which does not comport
with true, refined gentleman. He has
large farm, to which, when he is not employed
in public service or campaign work, he gives
his personal attention, and enters as heartily
into its details as he does effectively into the
work of the forum.
He was born November 10, 1881, in Orange,
Cuyahoga county, Ohio His father, Abram
Garfield, belonged to an old Massachusetts
family, and his mother. Eliza Ballou, rela-
tive of the celebrated Hosea Ballou, was from
the State of New Hampshire. Abram Gar
field, who was one of the FIRST settlers in the
township of Orange, died in 1888 leaving a
young family of four children. OF these,
the subject of this sketch was the youngest,
being at the time Of his fathers death only a
year and half old. The family were poor,
and the children were kept together only by
the industry, energy and courage of the
widowed mother.
Young Garfield was early thrown upon his
own resources. At the age Of fourteen he
learned the carpenters trade, and two years
later served for few months as a boatman
on the Ohio canal. From an early age he
manifested strong desire for study and was
one OF the first scholars in the district school,
which was taught in log school house near
his mothers home, When he was seventeen
he entered on a larger course of study, first
in the Geauga Seminary, at Chester, Ohio,
and a little later in the Eclectic Institute,
then recently established at Hiram. In the
winter after completing his eighteenth wear,
he taught his first term in the common
schools, but continued to teach each winter
thereafter until called to q higher position.
Not long after entering the institution at
Hiram he was made an assistant teacher In
1854 ne entered the Junior Class of Williams
College, Massachusetts,, having in a little
more than three years fitted himself for col
lece, and completed the two first years Of
college study. II Williams he took high
rank as a scholar. He was a favorite pupil
of the venerable President Hopkins, and
when he graduated, in 1856 he carried off
one Of the highest honors of his class. In
obtaining his education Mr.. Garfield was
wholly dependent upon himself. His earnings,
first AS a carpenter, then 4 teacher, sup
plemented by some small loans subsequently
repaid in iuli), carried him through his course
of study.
Immediately after his graduation, Mr..
Garfield was chosen teacher of the Ancient
Languages and Literature in the institution
at Hiram, and the following year he was
elected Principal. Under his vigorous man
agelnent the school, already fourishing, was
raised TO still higher degree of usefulness and
popularity. He was an incsssant and effec-
tive worker, frequently teaching six or seven
hours day, besides attending to the General
supervision, and delivering numerous lectures
on a great variety OF topics, both before his
Previous to 1856 Mr.. Garfield had taken no
part in politics, and had no party affiliations.
But the Republican party, now for the first
time thoroughly organized, enlisted his in
terest because it strove to set limits to the
spread of slavery: Accordingly he was
warmly interested in the Presidential CAM
paign of that year, and made several speeches
in advocacy Of the election of Fremont. In
1859, without solicitation or effort on his
H., Da-,pIl;aa,, ~, -.
elected him to the Ohio Senate Although
the youngest member of that body, lie imme-
d;ately took rank with foremost Senators in
respect TO ability, industry and usefulness.
Just before the conclusion of his Senatorial
services, the Southern Rebellion broke out.
In accordance with all his political ante
cedents and convictions, MIR. Garfield at once
espoused the cause of the Union againstsecss
sion. Early in the autumn of 1861 he was
made Colonel of the Forty second Regiment
OF Ohio Volunteers. This regiment, largely
enlisted by his personal efforts, was rapidlv
organized, drilled, and prepared for the field.
On the 18th OF December it was ordered to
Eastern Kentucky, and its Colonel was placed
in command of the Eighteenth Brigade of
the Army of the Ohio. With this command
Colonel Garfield conducted highly success
full winter campaign against force of rebels
under the command of Humphrey Marshall.
The victories of Middle Creek and Pound
Gap were the first successes of the Union
army that year in the West Their immedi.
ate result was the expulsion of the Confed-
crate forces from Eastern Kentucky. Presi.
dent Lincoln, recognizing the value of this
success, promoted Colonel Garfield to the
rank of Brigadier General.
General Garfield now Joined the army of
General Buell.. He commanded the Twen-
tieth Brigade at the battle of Shiloh, and in
the subsequent operations around Corinth,
Decatur, and Huntsville, Alabama In the
winter of 1862 63 he was a member OF the
court-martial that tried Fitz.John Porter
In January of the latter year he was assigned
to the Army of the Cumberland, then under
the command of General Rosecrans, who at
once made him chief OF STAFF of the army.
In this position General Garfield rendered
distinguished services. He was the con6den.
tiai adviser of the commander-in chief. He
participated in all the engagements fof that
army) in Middle and Southern Tennessee.
He greatly distinguished himself for ability
and bravery in the bloody battle of Chicka-
manga, and was Immediately promoted to
the rank OF Major- General. Here General
Garfield's military career closed. He resigned
his commission on the 9Th of December, 1863,
to enter another field of duty Perhaps no
man in the volunteer service, during the
whole war, in the short period OF two years,
achieved more brilliant record than did
General Garfield.
In October, 1862, the Nineteenth Ohio
Congressional District elected General Gar
field its Representative to the Thirty eighth
Congress. On leaving the army he took his
seat in the House of Representatives, OF
which body he has continued to be member
until the present time.