New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-03-08
ade in the Army of Ohio, and took part
in the second decisive days fight in. the
Ornot hattie IF Shiloh

IN the second decisive days hgnC IN the
great battle of Shiloh.
The remainder Of the year 1862 was
not especially eventful to Garfield, as it
was serving. His practical sense was
the task assigned him by Gen. Buell. Of
reconstructing bridges and re-estab]ish-
ing lines of railway communication for
the army. His occupation in this use
full but not brilliant field was varied by
service on courts-martial of Importance,
in which department. of duty he won a
valuable reputation, attracting the no
tice and securing the approval of the
able and eminent Judge Advocate Gen.
eral of the 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 service Of their country, one who
brought to that service the ripest learn
ing, the most fervid eloquence, the most
varied attainments; who in the day of
triumph sat reserved, and silent, and
grateful las Francis leak in the hour
Of Hungary's deliverance," was Joseph
Holt, of Kentucky, who in his honorable
GRAFTON of all who love the union of the
States.
Early in 1863 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 Cumber-
land. Perhaps in great military cam
paign no subordinate officer requires
SOunder Judgment and quicker knOWl-
edge of men than the chief of staff to
the commanding General. An indiscreet
man in such a position can SOW more
discord, breed more jealousy, and dis
seminate more strife than any other
officer in the entire organization. When
Gen. Garfield assumed his new duties
he found various troubles already well
developed and seriously affecting the
value and efficiency of the army Of the
6ality. and the tact With WI Which hpi he
sought to allay these dissensions and to
discharge the duties of his new and try
ing position will always remain one of
the most striking proofs of his great
versatility. His military duties closed
on .....
THE MEMORABLE FIELD OF CHICKA-
MAUGA,
a field which, however disastrous to the
Union arms, gave to him the occasion of
winning imperishable laurels. The very
rare distinction was accorded him of a
great promotion for his bravery on a
field that was lost. President Lincoln
appointed him Major General in the
army of the United States ''for gallant
and meritorious conduct in the battle
Of Chickamauga."
The army Of the Cumberland was re-
organized under the command of Gen.
Thomas, who promptly offered Garfield
one of it's divisions. He was extremely
DESTROYS to accept the position, but was
embarrassed 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-
within his own breast the largest conf
dence of success in the wider field which
his new rank opened to him. Balancing
the arguments on the one side and the
other, anxious to determine what was
for the best, DESTROYS above all things to
do his patriotic duty, he was decisively
influenced by
THE ADVICE OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
and Secretary Stanton, both of whom
assured him that he could at that time
be OF especial value in the House of
Representatives He resigned his COM
mission of Major General on the 5th
day of December, 1868, and took his seat
in the House of Representatives on the
9TH. He had served two years and four
months in the army, and had just COM
pleted his sd year.
THE TH1RTY-EIGITH CONGRESS
is prominently entitled in history to
the designation of the War Congress. It
was elected while the war was fragrant,
and every member was chosen upon the
inv %t>@ 90
the struggle. The Thirty-seventh Con-
gress had indeed legislated to a large
extent on War measures, but it was
chosen before any one believed that
Secession of the States would be actu-
ally attempted. The magnitude of the
work which fell upon it's successor was
unprecedented both in respect to the
vast sum of money raised for 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,
1872 members were upon it's rolls. Among
these were
MANY DISTINGUISHED PARTY LEADERS
on both sides-veterans in the public
service, with established regulations
for ability, and with that skill which
comes only from parliamentary expert
ence. Into this assemblage of men Gar
field entered, without special prepare
ton, and it might almost be said, unex-
pectedly. The question of taking COM
mand of a division Of troops under Gen.
Thomas or taking his seat in Congress
was kept open till the last moment-so
late, indeed, that the resignation of his
military commission and his appearance
in the House we're almost contempora-
neOus. He wore the uniform of a Major
General of the United States Army on
Saturday, and on Monday in civilians
dress he answered to the roll call as a
Representative in Congress from the
State of Ohio.
HE WAS ESPECIALLY FORTUNATE
in the constituency which elected him.
Descended almost entirely from New
England stock, the men of the Ashta-
bula district were intensely radical on
all questions relating to human rights,
well educated, thrifty, thoroughly intel
igent in affairs; acutely discerning of
character, not quick to bestow conf
dence and slow to withdraw it, they
were at once the
MOST HELPFUL AND MOST EXACTING OF
SUPPORTERS.
Their tenacious trust in men in whom
they have once cOnfided is illustrated by
the unparalleled fact that Elisha Whit
tlesey, Joshua r. Giddings, and James
A. Garfield, represented the district for
ifty-four years. There is no test of q
mans ability in any department of pub
lie life more severe than service in the
House Of Representatives; there is no
place where so little Difference is paid
to reputation previously acquired, or to
eminence won outside; no place whereso
little consideration is shown for the
feelings or failures of beginners. What
a man gains in the House he gains by
SHEER FORCE OF HIS OWN CHARACTER.
and, if he loses and falls back, he must
expect no mercy and will receive no
sympathy. It is a field in which the
survival of the strongest is the recog-
nized rule, and where no pretense can
he a .l<,,.