New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-20


seat IN the state Senate. The campaign $50 made
him widely known throughout the state He found time
20 read law assduousy while he was in the Legislature
In 1853 he made up his mind that his future career
shoud be at the Bar He therefore his name as
law student in the Office of Williamson Riddle In
Cleveland and got from Mr. Riddle list OF books 10 be
studied yin 1861 he applied to the Supreme Court in
Columbus for admission to the Bar was examined by
committee composed OF Thomas NJ. Key distinguished
lawyer OF Cincinnati and Robert Harrison afterward
member OF tho Supreme Court Commission and ad-
mted His intention to open an Office in Cleyo-
land Dnt tho breaking out OF the changed his plans
HIS RECORD IN THE WAR,
The most complete and comprehensive account n,
General Garfelds military found in whiteaw
4 Reds " Ohio in the War" which was written many
years before Garhelds nomination for the Presidency
When the time came, says this account for
appointing the officers for the Ohio troops the Lecs
lature was stil In session. Garfield Mt once avoved
hs intention OF entering the service. He was offered
inc heutenantcolonelcy Of the 42d Ohio Regiment but
was not until the l4th OF that orders for tho
heid were received The regiment then sent to O..
lcttsburg, Ky, and Garfield, then made Colonel
was directed to report In person 10 General Bue On
the 18th OF December he assigned Colonel Garfield TO
the command of the 18th Brigade, and ordered him to
drive the rebel forces under Humphrey Marshall out OF
Sandy Valley, In Eastern Kentucky. Up TO this date no
active operations had been attempted in the great de
pormen that lay south of the Ohio River The spell Of
Bun Run stil hung over our armies. Save tine cam
paSns In western Virginia, and the unfortunate attack
by General Grant at Belmont not a single engagement
had occurred all the region between the Acghanics
and the Mississippi General Buell. preparing TO ad
vance upon the rebel position Mt Bowling Green
"hen~he suddenly founC himself hampered by two co.
operating forces skiifuy planted within striking dis
anee of his flank. General Zollicocr was advancing
from Cumberland Gap toward Mill Spring: and Hum
phrcy Marshall. moving down the Sandy Valley was
threatening TO overrun Eastern kentucky Till these
could be driven back an advance upon Bowling Green
would be periious IL not actually impossible To General
George H. Thomas then Just raised from his colonelcy
" regulars 10 brigader geuerashp OF vontccrs wns
committed the task OF rcpulsing Zollconcr: to the
nntried colonel or the raw i2d Ohio, the task
Of rcpulsing Humphrey Marshall and on their success
the Sholc army OF the department waited.
Colonel Garfield thus found himself before bo had
ever seen gun fired in action. in Of four reg
ments OF infantry and some eight companies of cavalry
charged with the work Of driving out OF his native State
The officer reputed the abest of those not educated TO
war; whom Kentucky had gwen to the Rebellion Mn
shall had under his command nearly 5000 men sta
TONED at the village of Paintvie, sixty miles up the
sandy Valley. He was expected by the rebel author.
ea TO advance toward Lexington unite with Zolcoer
and establish the authority OF the Provisional Govern
ment at the state capital These hopes fed by the
recollection of his great intellectual Abilities and the
oldery reputation lac had borne since he led the
famous charge OF the Kentucky Volunteers al
Bucna Vista. But Garfield won the dov
Marshall hastily abandoned his position fred his canp
equipage and stores, "a retreat which was NOT
ended till lac had reached Abingdon, Virgipia
fresh peril. however now beset the little force An
unusually violent rain storm broke out the mountain
sorgoB were all flooded and the Sandy rose TO such
heght that steam boatnen pronounced it Impossible n
ascend the stream with supplies The troops were al
most out Of rations and the rough mountainous conn
try was incapable of supporting them. Colonel Garfield
had gone down the river TO its mouth. lie ordered
small steamer which had been in the Quar,e
service to take lond OF supplies and start m The
captain declared II was impossible. Efforts were made
to go; other vessels. but without success
Finally Colonel Garfield ordered the captain and crov
ON board stationed competent army officer on deck m
that the captain did his duty and himself took the
wheel Tho captain stu protested that no boat could
possibly stem the raging current Garfield turned
head mp the stream and began the pcrilous trip The
water in the usually shallow river was sixty feet dam
and the recops along the bank almost snbmerged
The little vessel rembed from stem to stern M ever
motion OF the engines; the waters whrled her about as
II sue were sklii ana tho utmost speed that steam
could give her was three miles hour. Whom night
fell the captain of tho boat begged permission 10 tia nm
roattcnpt ascending that flood in the dark mo declared
madness. But Colonel Garfield kept his pacc ot IN
wheel Finally In one of the sudden bends Of the river
they drove, with full head of steam. into
the qu'cksand Of the bank. Every effort to
back of in vain. Garfield at ash mr.
lered boat TO be lowered to take A linz
across to the opposite bank. The crew protestoa
against yenurnS out In the flood. The Colonel eaped
INTO the boat himself and steered The force of
DeOW the point thew
to reach but they finally succeeded i'm making inst 10
tree aud rigging wndlass with rails sufficiently nowor
full to draw the vessel OF and get her once more aaoat
1t was on Saturday that the left the month M m.
sandy. All night, all day Sunday, and all through Sun
lay night they kept mp their struggle with the
Garfield leaving the wheel only eight hours out OF the
whole time, and that during the day Nv o,o,oo1,
Monday morning they reached the camp, and were re
oeved with tuinutous cheering Garfield himself could
scarcely escape being borne TO Headquarters ON the
shoulders of the delighted men.
These operations in the Sandy Valley bod haas, 49,
iuoed with such energy and skill an TO receive tho
special commentator of the commanding ponerol
ana OF the Government. General Rueu
nad been moved TO words of unwonted nraisa
The war Department had conferred the grade of br,o
adler general, tho commission bearing the date of the
BATTLE OF Middle Creek And the country without under
standing well the details tho oampaicnof which
'inceu II" satisfactory account published
at the time--fuly appreciated the sans
factory result The discontinue of Hulppbrov Me-
snail source of special chagrn to the rebel svna
thSers OF kentucky and of amusement and admiration
throughout the loyal West aud Garfield took ran IN ,h
Puoho estimation among Tho most promising of the
younger volunteer generals.
On his arriya at Louisville, from tho CANDY WI,
General Garfield found that the Army of the Ohio W.
already yond Nashville, fla march To frons tI 80
Pttsenrs Landing. He hastened after it, reported q,
General Bael about thirty miles south of Columli.
and under his order. ut assuined command of tb
2Otn Brigade, then part of the division under Gener
rhoinaS Wood. Ho reached the field of Pittsh,,r
Landing about O'Clock on the aeeond da, M
ne battle, aud participated In ts cloasng scenes
Ibe old tendency to foS er and aoue conf,,,l.t