The Fremont County record., 1881-09-24


|tion, only second to that of the COM
|mander of the army of the Cumber-
Hand. He was the counsellor, adviser
|and executive officer of Rosecrans
|and his browning service as chief of
staff came with the great battle of
|Chickamauga. Rosecrans had asked
|the written opinions of his seventeen
generals upon the advisabiliiy of an
advance and they all opposed it.
General Garfield reviewed all of these
written opinions, analyzed their OBJ
!jections and answered them. His
argument was irresistible and the
battle was fought. General Garfield
|wrote all of the orders upon the day
|of the battle except one and that one
Qos too literally obeyed. ~ gsp was
|masle between the center and righ'
wing of the line, which was taken
of by the enemy and Rose
'crans, with his chief Of staff and a
mass of demoral:zed troops were
swept back towards Chattanooga.
General Garfield implored that he
might be permitted to seek the center
where he believed General Thomas
was holding his own. He was bid
den God-speed by Rosecrans and
after a perilous ride over hills and
through forest he arrived at Thomas
where his intelligent
advice and aggressive enthusiasm
aided Thomas much in saving the day
Ito the Union army. He won nobly
that day a major-general's commls-
sion. After Chickamauga General
Garfield was sent to Washington to
reconcile the differences between
|Rosecrans and Stanton, and to state
the conditions and needs of the army
'of the Cumberland to President Lin
;coln.
While General Garfield was still
actively employed on the field of bat
tie in 1862 the people of the Nine
teenth Ohio Congressional district
elected him to the seat in the house
of representatives which had been
held by Joshua r. Giddings continu-
ously for nearly a quarter of CEN
tury. James A. Garfield was then
but thirty years of age and the honor
was distinguished tribute. In De-
'cember, 1868, he reluctantly resigned
his commission in the army to take
his seat in congress. lie asked the
advice of his chief if he could accept
'it with honor aud Rosecrans replied
that he could and that he deemed il
to be his duty to do So After he
took his seat at the opening of the
winter session of 1868 he was strong
y tempted to go back to the army,
as General Thomas wanted
him and offered him the command
of an army corps. However, he re-
manned in congress where he soon
gained prominence as debater and
active worker. During his first term
he served upon the committee of mil
itary affairs, his recent life at the
front making him valuable member.
In the Thirty-ninth congress he serv-
ed with the committee of ways and
means. In the Forticth congress he
was chairman of the committee on
military affairs. In the Forty-first
congress chairman of the committee|
on banking and currency, also a
member of the special committee on
the ninth census and of the commit
tee on rules. In the Forty-second
congress chairman of the committee
on appropriations and a member of
the committee on rules. In the For
ty-third congress reappointed chair
man of the committee on appropria-
tions and continued a member of the
on rules. In the Forty
fourth, Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth
congresses, under democratic speak
|er, he was q member of the commit
tees on ways and means and in the
two last of the committees on rules.
|lu 1917, Wncu JliltS VI. biatuc vas
elected to the senate, Garfield was
as the leader OF the repub-
|lican party in the house. During his
|entirc congressional career he was
ever active and alert upon all
questions pertaining to the good OF
|the whole country. Tie was a sound
|debator upon the question of curren-
Icy aud took an active part in bring
ling about resumption of specie pay
|ments and the remonetizaiion of sill
|vcr. He was strong advocate oi
civil service reform in all of its puri-
|ty. In January, 1880, he was elected
|to the senate from Ohio to take the
place. of Allen G. Thurman. Ho
went to the National Republican con-
|vention at Chicago to advocate the
claims of Hon. John Sherman tor the
However, the mantle
|was destined to fall upon himself,
|and he was elected to that highest Of.
lice in the gift Of the people OF the