Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-02-28

ana decisive Gay Hep,ul III LILO Sions p1luo VI
Shiloh. The remainder of the year 1862
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- establishing lines of railway
communication for the Army. His occupa-
ton in this useful but not brilliant field was
varied by service on courts martial of i'm
portance, in which department of duty he
won a valuable reputation, attracting the
notice and securing the approval of the able
and eminent Judge -Advocate-Ge of the
Army That of itself was warrant to hon
orable 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 learning, the most fervid eloquence,
the most varied attainments who laDored
with modesty and summed applause, who in
the day of triumph sat reserved and silent
and grateful-as Francis Deak in the hour
of Hungary's delverance-was Joseph
Holt, of Kentucky, who in honorable re-
tirement enjoys the respect and veneratlon
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 tosGeneral Rosecrans then at
the head of the Army of the Cumberland.
Perhaps in great military campaign no
subordinate officer requires sounder Judg-
ment and quicker knowledge of men than
the chief of staff to the commanding gener-
al An indiscreet man in such position can
SOW more discord, breed more jealousy
and disseminate more strife than any other
officer in the entire organization. When
General Garfield assumed his new duties he
found various troubles well developed and
seriously affecting the value and efficacy of
the Army of the Cumberland. The energy,
the impartiality, and the tact with which
he sought to allay these dissentions, 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 memoir
able field of Chickamauga, a field which
however disastrous to the Union arms gave
to him the occasion of winning imperishable
laurels. The very rare distinction was ac-
corded him of a great promotion for his
bravery ON field that was lost. President
Lincoln appointed him ma or- general IN
the Array of the United States for gallant
and meritorious conduct in the battle of
Chickamauga.
The Army of the Cumberland was reor
ganized under the command of General
Thomas, who promptly offered Garfield one
of its divisions. He was extremely desir
GUS to accept the position, but was embar-
raised by the fact that he had, year be-
fore, been elected to Congress, and the time
when he must take his seat was drawing
near. He preferred to remain in the mill
tary service, and had within his own breast
the largest confidence 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
which was for the best, DESTROYS above all
things to do his patriotic duty, he was de-
cisively influenced by the advice of Presi-
ident 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 commits
sion of Major-general on the 9TH day of De-
cember, 1868, and took his seat in the
House of Representatives on the 7th. He
had served two years and four months in
the Army, and rad just completed bis
thirty second year.
The Thirty eighth Congress is pre-emi-
nently 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 in the con-
tinuance of the struggle. The Thirty-sev-
| enth Congress, had indeed, legislated to a
large extent on war measures, but it was
chosen before any one believed that seces-
sion of the States would be actually attempt
ed. The magnitude of the work which fell
| upon its successor was unprecedented, 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 leg
islation which it was forced to exercise.
n,,1x So, O@o%a tod
and one hundred and eighty-two members
were upon its roll. Among these were many
distinguished party leaders on both sides,
veterans in the public service, with estab-
lished regulations for ability, and with that
skill which comes only from parliamentary
experience. Into this assemblage of mel
Garfield entered without special preparation,
and it might almost be said unexpectedly.
The question of taking command of divis
ion of troops under General Thomas, OF
taking his seat in Congress was kept oper
till the last moment, SO late, indeed, that the
resignation of his military commission anC
his appearance in the House were almost Co
temporaneous. He wore the uniform of c
Major general of the United States Army OF
Saturday, and on Monday, in civilians
dress, he answered to the roll-call as Rep
resentative in Congress from the State Of
Ohio.
He was especially fortunate in the con
stituency which elected him. Descended
almost entirely from New England stock
the men of the Ashtabula district were in
tensely radical on all questions relating te
human rights. Well educated, thrifty
thoroughly intelligent in affairs acutely dis
corning of character, not quick to bestow
confidence, and slow to withdraw it, they
were at once the most helpful and most ex
acting of supporters. Their tenacious trus
in men in whom they have once confded ii
illustrated by the unparalleled fact thai
Elisha Whittlesey, Joshua r. Giddings, and
James A. Garfield represented the district
for fifty -four years.
There is no test of mans ability in any
department of public life more severe thar
service m the House of Representatives
there is no place where so little Difference il
paid to reputation previously acquired, OF
to eminence won outside; no place where
SO little consideration is shown for the feel
ings or the failures of beginners. When
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, anG
will receive no sympathy. It is a field IL
which the survival of the strongest is the
recognized rule, and where no pretense cal
deceive and no glamour can mislead. The
real man is discovered, his worth is i'm
partially weighed his rank is irreversibly
decreed.
With possibly single exception, Garfield
was the youngest member in the House
when he entered, and was but seven years
from his college graduation. But he hae
not been in his seat sixty days before hi
ability was recognized and his place con
Ill II - II.
confidence of one who belonged there. The
House was crowded with strong men of botl
parties nineteen of them have since beer
transferred to the Senate, and many of then
have served with distinction in the guberna
torial chairs of their respective States, anc
on foreign missions of great consequence
but among them all none grew so rapidly
none so firmly as Garfield. AS is said by
Tevelyan of his parliamentary hero, Gar
field succeeded because all the world il
concert could not have kept him in tn,
| hao =,