The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-28
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS.
coaliaae9 f5ul nm Paol.

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cos.iaGei irsR Fiqf Pdge.
science, as he expressed It himself,
measure the extent Of his ignorance, an
\ with handful Of men he was machinI
4 in rough winter weather into stranO
country, among a hostile population,
confront 2 largely superior force under tn
command oil q distinguished graduate
West Point, who had seen active and In
portant service In two preceding wars.
The result OF the campaign Is matter G
history. The skill, the endurance, the ex
traordinary energy shown by Garfield, III
courage he impaired 10 his men, raw ant
untried as himself, the measures he adopt
ed to increase his force and TO create In til
ehemy's MUD exaggerated estimates OF BIT
nnRbers, bore perfect fruit in tue routinI
O. Marshall, the capture Of his camp, TIN
dispersion Of his force, and the Cnancipa
ton Of an important territory from thu
control Of the rebellion. Coming ut thu
close Of long series OF disasters to thu
Union arms, Gatiield's victory had an un
usual and cxtraneous importance, and II
the popular judgment elevated the young
communicate the rank OF Il military hero
With less than two thousand men in hi
entire command, with mobitized force o.
only eleven hundred, without cannon, he
had met IN army OF five thousand and de
teated them-driving Marshalpsiorccs sue,
cessively from two strongholdsoi their own
selection, fortified with abundant artillery
Major General Buell., commanding the
Department Of the Ohio, an experienced
and able soldier OF the regular army, pub.
lished an order OF thanks and congratula.
ton on the brilliantresnlt 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 action the highest qualities
oil q soldier, and President Lincoln supple.
mented these words Of praise by the moro
substantial reward OF n brigadiergeneral's
commission, TO bear date from the day OF his
decisive victory over Marshall.
The subsequent military career Of Gar
field fully sustained its brilliant beginning.
With his new commission he was assigned
to the command OF n brigade in the Army
oil the Ohio, and took part in the second
and decisive days fight in the great battle
oil Shiloh. The remainder OF the year 1862
was not especially eventiul to Garfield, as
1t was not to the armies with which he was
serving. His practical sense was called in
to exercise in completing the task, assigned
him by General Buell., OF reconstructing
bridges and re.establishing lines Of railway
communication for tho Army, His occu.
patton in this useful but not brilliant field
was varied by service on courts martial OF
Importance, in which department Of duty
he won valuable reputation, attracting
the notice and secruing the approval OF the
otthe Army. That OF itself was warrant to
honorable fame; for among the great men
who in those trying days gave themselves,
with entire devotion, to the serving Of their
country, one who brought to that service
the ripest learning, the most fervid elo-
quence, the most varied attachments, who
i0bored with modcsty and stunned up
plause, who in the day OF triumph sat re-
served and silent and grateful-as Francis
Deak in the hour OF Hungary's deliverance
was Joseph Holt, Of Kentucky, who in
his honorable retirement enjoys the respect
and generation OF all who love the Union
Of the States.
Early in 1868 Garfield was assigned TO
the highly important and responsible post
Of chief Of staff to General Rosecrans then
ut the head Of the Army Of the Cumber-
land. Perhaps in great military cam
paign no subordinate officer requires
sounder judgment and quicker knowledge
fmen than the chief Of staff to the com.
handing general. An indiscreet man in
such position can SOW more discord, breed
more jealousy and disseminate more strife
than any other officer in the entire organi-
zation. When General Garfield assumed
his new duties he found various troubles
already well developed and seriously affect
ing the value and efficiency Of the ARMY Of
the Cumberland. The energy, the i'm.
partially, and the tact with which he
sought to allay these dissensions, and to
discharge the datiGs Of his now and trying
position will always remain one OF the most
striking proofs OF his great versatility. His
military duties closed on the memorable
field Of ChiCkamauga, field which how.
ever disastrous to the Union arms gave to
him the occasion OF winning imperishable
laurels. The very rare distinction was nc
corded him Of . great promotion for his
bravery on field that was lost, President
Lincoln appointed him mnjor-general in
the Army OF the United States for gallant
and meritorious CoRduct in the battle Of
ChiCkamauga.
The Army OF the Cumberland was re.
organized under the command Of General
) Thomas, who promptly offered Garfield
e on0 OF lis divisions. lie was extremely
DESTROYS To accept the position, but was
embarrassed by tho fact that he lad, a year
before, been elected TO Congress, and the
J time when he must take his seat was
drawing near. EIe preferred to remain in
! the military service, and had within biz
own breast the largest confidence OF sue
, cess in Tho wider field which his new rank
! opened 10 him. acknowledgements or
the one side aud the other, ANXIOUS to de
, termine what was for tho best. DESTROYS
above all things 10 do his patriotic duty,
he was decisivcly influenced by the advice
. OF President Lincoln and Secretary Stan
ton, both oil whom assured him that BIZ
could, ut that time, be Of especial value in
: the House Of Representatives. lie Resigned
his commission Of Major Generator the 5tt
day OF December, 1868, and took his sea
n in the House Of Representatives on the 18th
He bad served tEo years and four month!
in the army, md had Just completed hi
!. thirty.secOnd year.
!, The Thlrty.eighth Congress Is pre.eMl
Y nentIy entitled in history to the designa
6 ton Of tho War Congress. 1t was elected
!. while the wdr was fagrant, and every mem
|. Der was chosen upon, tho ias4es involved ii
i. the continuation Of tho struggle. Tht
{ Thirty.seyenth Congress had, indeed, leg
!. islated 10 u large extent on war measures
but it was chosen before any one believe,
; that secession Of tho States would be dattj
4 alig attempted. The magnitude OF Til
i work which Tell upon its successor was I'm
l. .precedented, both In respect TO the vas
sums OF money raised for thesppport Of N
3, Army and Navy, and Of the new and eS
ttraOrtlinary powers Of legislation which
= was forged " exercise. Only twenty-fou
States were represented, and one hundre
!, aud Cigity.two members weFc upon il
roll. Among these were many distir
IT guished party leaders oil both sides, yetcI