The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-03-02


and lfOrsa landed on the shores Of England
Ills adventure on the canal, IN alternative
between that and the deck NJ Lake Hflt
schooner, was n farmer boys device ini
making money, Just ns n Now England lad
begins possibly great career by sailing De-
fore the inast on COasting vessel or on q
merchantmen bound for the farther lndla
or China seas. No manly man feels any
thing Of shame in looking back TO the carry
struggles with adverse circumstances,
and no man feels worthler
auerod the obstacles TO his progress. But
no one of noble mould desires TO be looked
upon as having been repressed by q leellng
ofinlerioritv, or as having suffered the evils
OF poverty until relief was found at the
hand of charity. General Gariield's youth
presented no hardships which family love
and family energy did not overcome SUP,
jected him to no priyations which he Gld
not cheeriully accept, and left no memories
save those which were recalled with delight
and transmitted with profit and with pride.
GARFIELD's EARLY OPPORTUNITIES
for securing an education were extremely
United, and yet were sufficient to develop
anintense desire to learn. He could read
at years of age, and each winter he had
the advantage Of the district school lie
read all the books to be found within the
circle of his acquaintance; some OF them he
got by heart. While yet in childhood he
Was a constant student of the Bible, and be-
came familiar with its literature. The
dignity and earnestness of his speech in his
maturer life gave evidence of this early
training. AT Is years of age he was able to
teach school, and thence forward his
ambition was to obtain a college
education. 70 this end he bent
all OF his efforts, working in the harvest
field at the carpenter bench, and III the
winter season teaching the common
schools of the neighborhood. While thus
laboriously occupied he found time to pros
ecute his studies, and
WAS 50 SUCCESSFUL
that at twenty-five years or age ne was
able to enter the junior class at Williams
college, then under the presidency. OF the
venerable and honored Mark Hopkins, who
in the fullness OF his powers survives the
ble-service. The history of Gartield's
life TO this period presents no novel feat
ures. He had undoubtedly shown
perseverance, set-reliance, selt-sacritice and
ambition, qualities, which, be it said for the
honor of our country, are everywhere to be
found among the young men OF America.
But from his graduation at Williams On
ward to the hour of his traglcal death, Car
fields career was eminent and exceptional.
Hourly working through his educational
period. receiving his diploma when "a
wears of age, he seemed at one bound to
spring into conspicuous and brilliant sue
cess. Within six years he was successfully
president of college, state senator OF Ohio,
major-general of the army OF the United
States, and representative elect to the
national congress s continuation o.,
a period so brief, and to man
so young is without precedent or parallel
in the history of the country. Gartield's
army life was begun with no other military
knowledge than such as he hastily gained
from books in the few months preceding
his march to the field. Stepping from civil
the first order he received when
to assume command of a brigade
and to operate as an independent force in
eastern Kentucky. His immediate duty
was to check the advance of Humphrey
Marshall, who was marching down
the Big Sandy with the intention
of occupying. in connection with
other Confederate forces, the entire
the state into secession. This was at the
close of the year 1861. Seldom if ever has a
young college professor been thrown into a
more embarrassing and discouraging posi-
ton. He knew Just enough of military
science, as hc-, pressed it nimse.T, te-meas-
ure the extent Of his ignorance, and with a
handful of men he'was marching in rough
winter weather, into strange country,
among hostile population, to confront a
mand of distinguished graduate OF
West Point, who had seen active
and important service in two
preceding wars. The result of the cam
paign is a matter of history. The skill, the
endurance, the extraordinary
ENERGY SHOWN By GARFIELD,
the courage he impaired to his men, raw
and untried as himself, the measure he
adopted to increase his force, and to create
in the enemy's mind exaggerated estimates
of his numbers, bore perfect fruit IN the
routing of Marshall, the capture of his
camp, the dispersion of his force and the
emancipation of an important territory
from the control of the rebellion. Coming
at the close of long series of disasters TO
the union arms, Garfield's victory had an
unusual and extraneous importance, and IN
the popular Judgment elevated the
Young commander to the rank of military
hero. With less than 1000 men in his en-
tire command, and with mobilized force
of only | 100, without cannon, he had met
an army of 3 200 and defeated them, driving
Marshall's forces successfully from TWO
strongholds of their own selection, tortlhed
with abundant artillery.
Maior-General Buell., commanding the
department of the Ohio an experienced and
able soldier of the regular army, published
AN ORDER OF THANKS
and congratuatlon on the brilliant re-
suit of the Big Sandy campaign, which
would have turned the head of less cool
and sensible man than Garfield; Buell
declared that his services had called into
Il Il. III 81 tnf. sold n
President Lincoln supplemented these
words of praise by the more substantial re-
ward of brigadier-generals commission,
to bear date from the day of his decisive
victory over Marshall The subsequent
military career OF Garfield fully sustained
its brilliant beginning. With his new com
mission he was assigned TO the com,
mand of a brigade in the Army oi
the Ohio, and took part In
| The second and decisive day
| fight in the great battle of Shiloh. The re-
mainderof the year 1862 was not especially
eyentful TO Garfield, as it was not to the ar
mics with which he was serving.
HIS PRACTICAL SENSE
was called into exercise in completing the
tasks assigned him by General Buell. OF con-
structing bridges and re-establishing lines
of railroad communication for the army
his occupation in this usual but not brlll-
liant field was varied by service on ,court-
martials of importance, in which de
nartment of duty he won a valuable
reputation, attracting the notice and Sc ;ui-
ing the approval of the able and eminent
| Judge advocate general Of the army. That
| ofitself was warrant to honorable fame, for
among the great men who in those trying
davs gave themselves with entire devotion
! to the service Of their country, one who
| brought TO that service the ripest learning,
the most varied attainments, who labOred
with modesty and Stunned applause, who
| in the day of triumph sat reserved and silent
and grateful, as Francis Deak in the hour
of Hungaryis deliverance was Joseph Holt
! of Kentucky. who, in his honorable
retirement, enjoys the respect and
generation Of ali who love the union OF the
states. Early in 1853 Garfield was assigned
no tbe highly important and responsible
post Of