Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-28

the close of the year 1861. Seldom, if ever,
has young college professor been thrown
into more embarrassing and discouraging
| position. He knew just enough of military
science, as he expressed it himself, to meas
| ure the extent of his ignorance, and with a
| handful OF men he was marching, In rough
| weather, into strange country, among a
! hostile population, to confront largely SUI
perior force under the command of dstin-
| guished graduate of West Point, who had seen
| active and important service in two preceding
! wars.
| The result of the campaign is matter of his
tory. The skill, the endurance, the extraordi-
| nary energy shown by Garfield, the courage he
| impaired to his men, raw and untried as him.
| self, the measures he adopted to increase his
| force and to create in the enemY's mind exag-
| gerated estimates of his numbers, bore perfect
| fruit in the couting 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, Garfeld's victory had an unusual
and extraveous Importance, and in the popular
judgment elevated the young commander to
the rank of a military hero. With less than
two thousand men in his entire command with
hundred, without cannon, he had
met an army of five Thousand, and
defeated them-driving rdarshall's forces sue
cessively from two stronghOlds of their own
selection, fortified with abundant artillery.
Major General Buell., commanding the depart
ment of the Ohio, an experienced and able SOL
dier of the regular army, published an order of
thanks and congratul4tion on the brilliant re-
suit of the Big Sandy campaign, which would
have turned the head of less cool and seusi-
BILE man than Garfield. Buell. declared that his
services had called into action the highest
qualities of q soldier, and President Lincoln
supplemented these words of praise by the
more substantial reward of brigadier, gen.
erals 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 commission he was assigned to the
command of brigade in the Army of the
Ohio, and took part in the second and decisive
days fight in the great battle of shiloh. The
remainder of the year 1852 was not especially
eventful to Garfield, as it was not to the armies
with which he was serving. His practical
sense was called into exercise in completing
the task, assigned him by General Buell., OF
recOnstructing bridges and re-eStablishlng
lines of railway communication for the army.
His occupation 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 securing the approval of
the able and eminent Judge-Advocate-
General of the Army. That of it
self was warrant to honorable fame; for among
the great men who in those trying days gave
themselves, with entire devotion, to the SER
vice of their country, one who brought to
that service the ripest learning, the most
fervid eloouence, the most varied attalnmtnts,
who labored with modesty and Stunned ap-
plause, who in the day of triumph sat reserved
and silent and grateful-as Francis Daak in
the hour of Hungary's delverance--wa-
Joseph Holt, of Kentucky. who in his honor
able retirement enjoys the respect and venera-
ton of all who love the Union OF the States.
Early in 1858 Garfield was assigned to the
highly important and responsible post of chief
of staff TO Gen. ROsecrans, then at the head OF
the Army of the Cumberland. Perhaps in
great military campaign no subordinate off
Ger requires sounder judment and quicker
knowledge of men than the chief of staff 10
the commanding genersl. An indiscreet man
in such position can sow more discord, breed
more jealousy and disseminate more strife
than any other officer in the organization.
When Gen. Garfield assumed his new duties
he found various troubles already we'll de-
veloped and seriously affecting the value and
efficiency of the Army of the Cumber-
land. The energy, the impariiallty, and
the fact with he sought to
=
duties of his new and trying position Will al
ways remain one of the most striking proofs
of his great versatility. His military duts
closed on the memorable field of Chicka-
manga, a field which however disas't Gus to
the Union arms gave to him the occasion OF
winning imperiShable laurels. The very rare
distinction was accorded him of great pro-
motion for his bravery on a field that was
lost. President Lincoln appointed him ma
ior-general in the Army of the United States
for gallant and meritorious conduct in the
battle of Chickamauga.
HE ENTERS CONGRESS.
The Army of the Cumberland was reorgan-
lied under the command of General Thomas,
who promptly offered Garfield one of its d.
visions. He was extremely DESTROYS to ac-
cept the position, but was en- barrassed by the
fact that he had, a year before, been elected to
congress, and the time when he must take his
seat was drawing near. He preferred to re-
main in the military service, and had within
his own breast the largest confidence of sue
cess 10 the wider field which his new rank
opened to him. Balancing the arguments on
the one side and the other, anxious to deter
mine what was for the best, DESTROYS above all
things to do his patriotic duty, he was de-
csively Influenced by the advice of President
Lincoln and Secretary Stanton, both of whom
of especial value In the House of REPRESENTA-
tives. He resigned his commission
of major-general on the 9Th day of December,
1868, and took his seat in the house of repre-
sentatives on the 18th. He had served two
years and four months in the army, and had
just completed his 32d year.
The Thirtyeighth congress is prominently
entitled in history to the designation of the
war congress. 1t was elected while the war
was fragrant, and every member was chosen
upon the issues involved N the continuance of
the struggle. The Thirty-seventh congress
had, indeed, legislated to large extent on war
measures, but it was chosen before any one be-
lieved that secession of the States would be
actually attempted. The magnitude of the
work which fell upon its successor was un-
precedented, both in respect to the vast sums
of money raised for the support of the army
and navy, and of the new and extraordinary
powers of legislation which it was
forced to exercise. Only twenty-four
states were represented, and one hundred
and eighty-two members were upon its roll.
Among these were many distin guished party
leaders ON both sides, veterans in the public
service, with established regulations for abil-
| ity, and with that skill which comes only
| from parliamentary experience. Into this as
| semblage of men Garfield entered without
| special preparation, and it might almost be
said unexpectedly. The question of taking
command of a division of troops under Gen
eral Thomas, or taking his seat in congress
was kept open till the last moment-so late,
svIa md bat fho 0f +,