The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-03-02

into brilliant success. Within six years he
was successfully president of college, State
Senator OF OHIO, majors general Of the army
OF the United States and representatve-electto
the National Congress. A combination OF
honofs so varied so elevated, within period
so brief and to man young, is without
precedent or parallel in the history Of the
country.
Garfclds army life was begun with no 9th
er military knowledge than such as he had
hastily gained from books in the few months
preceding his march to the aeld. Stepping
from civil life to the head Of regiment, the
first order lie received when ready to cross
the Ohio was 10 assume command ola brigade,
and so operate as an Independent force in
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 precipitating the State into
| secession. This was at the close of the year
| 1861. Seldom, if ever, has young college pro-
! fessor been thrown into a more embarrassing
and dscouraging position. He knew just
enough OF military science as he expressed
| it himself, to measure the extent of his igno-
rance, and with a handful of men he was
marching, in rough winter weather, into a
strange country, among a hostile population,
! to confront "a largely superior force under the
command of adstinguished graduate of West
| Point, who had seen active and important ser
vice in two preceding wars.
The result of the campaign is matter of
! history. The skill, the endurance, the extra
ordinary energy shown by Garfield the cour-
age he impaired to his men, raw and untried
as himself, the measures he adopted to IN
| crease his force and to create in the enemys
mind exaggerated estimates OF his numbers,
! bore perfect fruit i'll the routing 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 disas-
tiers TO the Union arms, Garfield's victory had
an unusualand extraneous importance and in
| the popular judgment elevated the young com
mander to the rank of a military hero With
| less than two thousand men in his entire COM
mand, with a modified force of only eleven
hundred, without cannon, he had met an army
of five thousand and defeated them-driving
Marshall's forces successfully from two
sronghods OF their own selection, fortified
with abundant artillery Ma.-Gen Buell.,
commanding the Department of the Ohio, an
experienced an able soldier of the regular
army, published an order of thanks and con-
graduation on the brilliant result 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 ola SOL
der, and President Lincoln supplemented
these words of praise by the more substantial
reward OF Il brigadear generals 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 q 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 1862 was not especially
eyenttul to Garfield, as it was to the armies
with which he was serving. His practical
sense was called in exercise in completing the
task assigned him by Gen. Buell., of recon-
structing 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 court martial of I'M
portance, i'll whose department. ofGuty he won
a valuable reputation. attracting the notice
and securing the approval of the able an emf
nent Judoe-Advocate General of the Army
That Of itself was warrant to honorable fame
for among the great men who IN these 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 labOred with modes tv and stunned ap-
plause, who in the day oftrumph sat reserved
and silent and grateiul-as Francis Deak in
the hour of Hungary's deliverance-was Jo-
seph Holt, of Kentucky, who in his retirement
enjoys the respect and veneration 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 Cen Rosecrans, Then at the head of
The Army OF the Cumberland Perhaps in a
great military campaign no subordinate officer
requires sounder Judgment and quicker
knowledge of men than the chief Ofstatf to the
commanding general An indlscreet man in
such position can SOW more discOrd, breed
more jealousy. and disseminate more strife
than any other officer in the entire organiZa-
ton When Gen Garfield assumed his
duties be found various troubles already well
developed and seriously affecting the value
and efficiency OF the Army ofthe Cumberland.
The energy, the impartiality and the tact with
which he sought to ally these discussions 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 memorial field OF
, Chickbamauga, a field which, however disas-
trous to the Union arms, gave to him the oc-
, cason of winning imperishable laurels. The
very rare distinction was accorded him of a
great promotion for his bravery on field that
was lost. President Lincoln appointed him a
maioT-general in the Army of the United
States for gallant anG mertorious conduct in
The Army of the Cumberland was re-organ-
lied under the command OF Gen. Thomas, who
promptly offered Garfield one of its divisions.
He was extremely DESTROYS to accept the po-
sition, but was embarrassed by the fact that he
had year before been elected to Congress,
and the time when he must take his seat was
: drawing near He preferred to remain in the
: military service, and had within his own breast
u the largest confidence of success in the wider
! dIpi,I MI to Pal
ancng the arguments on the one side and the
other anxious TO determine what was for the
best, DESTROYS above all things to do his pa
= triOtic duty he was decisively Influenced by
q the advice of President Lincoln and Secretary
J Stanton, both of whom assured him that he
5 could, at that time, be of special value in the
= House of Representatives. He resigned his
+ commission OF majOr-general on the 9th day
. of December, 1868, aid took his seat in the
r House of Representatives on the It'll. He had
n served two years and four months in the army,
= and had Just completed his thirty-second year.
= The Thirty-eighth Congress is pre-eminently
i entitled in history to the designation of the
: War Congress. IL was elected while the war
o was fragrant, and every member was chosen
: upon the issues involved in the continuance OF
the struggle The Thrty-seventh Congress
q had, indeed legslated to a large extent on war
p measures, but it was chosen before any one
| believed that secession OF the States would be
o actually attempted The magnitude of the
work which fell upon its successor was UMPIRE
= cedented, both in respect to the vast sums OF
money raised for the support of the army and
navy, and of the new and extraordinary pow
rs of legislation which it was forced to exer-
else. Only twenty -four States were represent
ed and one hundred and eighty-two members
, were upon its roll. Among these were many
distinguished party leaders on both sides, vete-
= rams 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 Garfield
y entered without special preparation, and it
: might almost be said unexpectedly. The ques-
a ton of taking command OF division of troops
I under General Thomas, Or taking his seat in
Congress was kept open till the last moment
g so late, indeed that the resignation of his
: military commission and his appearance in
a the House was almost contemporaneous. He
] wore the uniform of major general of the
& United States army on Saturday, and on Mon
5 day ia civilians dress he answered the roll
: call as a representative in Congress from the
= State of Ohio
: He was especially fortunate in the consttu-
/ ency which elected him. Descended almost
/ entirely from New England stock the men of
y the Ashtabula district were intensely radical
D on all questions relating TO human rights
' Well educated, thrifty thoroughly intelligent
in affairs, acutely discerning OF character, not