New-York tribune., 1882-02-28
THE CAREER OF GARFIELD.
Confinued from First Page,
save those which were recalled with delight, ana
transmitted with profit and with pride.

cation were extremely limited and yet were SUI
cient to develop in him an intense desire 10 lear'
He could read at three years of age, and each VIII
ter he had the advantage of the district schooi h
read all the books to be found within the circle Vi
his acquaintance some of them he got oy hear''
While vet in childhood he was constant sluuo"'
of the Bible. and became familiar with its ntera-
ture The dignity and earnestneSs OF MS spccon III
his maturer life gave evidence of this early tral-
ing At eighteen wears of age he was able To teach
school and thenceforward his ambition was 10 oD-
tain college education To this end he bent all
his efforts working in the harvest field, nj the car
penter's bench and in the winter season. teachlog
the common schools of the nelghborhood "iule
thus laboriously occupied he found time TO prose
cute his studies and success ul that az twen-
ty-two wears of age he able to enter the junior
class at Williams College, then under the presidency
of the venerable and honOred Mark Hopkins, who
in the fulness of his powers, survives the eminent
pupil to whom he of inestimable service.
The history of Garfelds life to this period. pre-
sents no novel features He had undoubtedly shown
perseverance sell reliance Selfsacliicc, and amb-
tion-ouaities which, be it said for thehOnor of our
country, are everywhere TO be found among the
Young men of America But from his graduation at
Williams onward to the hour of bis tragical death,
Garfeds career was eminent and exceptional
Slowly working through his educational period, re-
ceivng his diploma when twenty-four years OF age,
he seemed at one bound to spring into conspicuous
and brilliant success. Within six years he was sue
cessively president of n college State Senator OF
Ohio Major-General of the Army OF the Unlteu
States and Representative-elect TO the Nailonal
Congress combination of hOnors so varied, so
elevated, within period so brief and to man so
Young is without precedent parallel in the his
tory of the country.
SOLDIER OF THE UNION.
Garfeld's Army life was begun with no other mil
itarv knowledge than such as he had hastily gained
from books in the few months preceding his march
to the field Stepping from civil life to the head OF
a regiment the first order he received when ready
TO cross the Ohio was to assume command of br-
qade and to operate as an independent force Ill
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 territory of Kentucky, and OF pre-
cipitatng the State into secession This was at the
close of the year sol Seldom, if ever, has young
college professor been thrown INTO a more emhar-
raising aud discouragng position He knew Just
enough of military science, as lie expressed 1t hn
self to measure the extent of his Ignorance. and
with handful of men he was marching, In rough
winter weather into strange country, among
fierce under the command of a distinguished gradu-
ate of West Point. who had seen active and Import
ant service in two preceding wars.
The result of the campaign is matter of history.
The skill the endurance, the extraordinary energy
shown by Garfield, the courage he impaired to his
men, raw and uutTied as himself the measures be
adopted to increase his force and to create in the
ene1ly's mind exaggerated estimates of his numbers,
bore perfect frui, in the routing of Marshall the
capture of his camp the dispersion of his force and
emancipation of an important territory from the
control of the Rebellion. Coming at the
close of long series of disasters to the
Union arms, Garield's victory had I'M
usnal and extraueons 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 mob
ilzed force of only eleven hundred, without cannon
he had met an arlliv of five thousand and defeated
them-driving MarShaIs forces succesSivcly from
two strongholds of their own selection fortified
With ohuudaut artillery. MaiorGcncra Buell., com
ruanding the Department Of the Ono an expert
cnced and able soldier of the Regular Army, pub
lished an order of thanks and concentration on
the brilliant result of the Big sandy campaign,
which would have turned the head Of less cool
and sensible man than Garfield Bucll DECLARED
that his services had called into action the highest
uualitics of a soldier. and President Lincoln SUD-
plenentcd these words OF praise by the more sub
slantial reward of a Brgadier-Gen ncraPs commits
SION to bear date from the day OF his decisive
victory over Marshall.
The snb,equent military career of Garfield fully
sustained its brilliant beginning. WITT his new
commission he was assigned 10 the command OF n
brigade in The Army of the ono, and TOOK part III
the second and decisive days fight in the great
Battle of Shiloh. The remainder Of the year S62
was not especially eventiul to Garfield. az 1t was
not 10 the armies with which he was serving. Ills
nrar+icaI sense was called into exercise in con-
plcing the task assigned him by General Buell.. of
reconstructing bridges and reestahlishng lines OF
railway communication for the Army. Ills occu-
4 1Vr1If fartff fnll
varied bv service courts martial of Importance,
in which department of duty he won valuable
reputation attracting the notice and securing the
aDprOval Of the able and eminent Judge-AdvOcate-
General of the Army. That of itself was warrant to
honorable fame; for among the great men who III
those irving days gave themselves, with entire de-
vOtion to the service of their country, one who
brought 10 that service the rpeSt learning. the
most fervid eoquence, the most varied attainments.
who labored with modeSty and shun ed applause,
who in the day Of triumph sat reserved ana silent
and gratcfulas Francis Deak in the hour of Hun
gary's deiverance-was Joseph Holt OF Kentucky.
who in his honorable retirement ENJOYS the respect
and veneratiOn of all who love the Union of the
States.
important and responsible post of Chief OF stan
TO General Rosecrans, then at the head OF
the Army of the Cumberland. Perhaps III great
military campaign no subOrdlnate officer requires
sOundcr judgment and quicker knowledge OF men
than the Chef OF staff to The commanding general.
An ndiscreet man IN SuGh position can SOW more
diScOrd, breed more jeap and disseminate more
strife than any other man i'll the entire organization
When General Garfield assumed his duties he
found various troubles already well developed, and
seriously affecting the value and efficiency Of the
ARMY Of the Cumberland. The energy, the impair
tialy and the tact with which he sought to allay
these dsSensions and TO discharge the duties OF his
new 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
Chckamanga, "A field which however dlsas rOus to
the Union arms. gave TO him the occasion of win
ming impershable lauTels. The very rare distinc-
tlon was accorded hm of great promotion for his
hell rat wa Lost
appointed him MaiOr-Genera III the Army Of the
United s. atea for gallant and mcritorious conduct
in the Battle of { ChckamaugI
The Army of the Cumberland reOrganzed
under ibe command of General Thomas who