The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-30
A STORYOF GARFIELD
How He Recruited a Company
at a Military Ball.
CARPET SOLDIERS MUSTERED IN.
Lieutenant Rufus Hapfoou Tells the
story How He Became Member
of Col. Garfieid's Command.

James A. Garfield for a long number OF
wears; in fact from his school
days MP to the time OF the
presidents death. He was student
under Professor Garfield, private soldier
under Colonel Garfield, an officer under
General Garfield. a warm and faithful con-
stitucnt Of Senator Garfield, and loving
and loyal supporter Of President Garfield.
Among Lieutenant Huntoon' s most valued
household gods is a splendid photograph
Of President Garfield taken by the Smith
nonian Institution, and sent 20 him by the
president himself only short time before
the tragedy that ended bis life.
Like all men who served under General
Garfield, Lieutenant Huntoon has vast
fund of anecodte concerning bis com
ruander. A few evenings ago, while
Lieutenant Huntoon was sitting with
number of Grand Army comrades In the
gathering jocularly known as the Pre-
yaricator's Club, he was asked 10
tell the story Of his first enlistment and
his service under Garfield. The club knew
that this was sure to bring out good
story, so the members drew closer together,
fired up new pipes and prepared to listen:
why / enlisted as drummer boy"
said Lieutenant Huntoon by way of
preface. "You see / was only IL years OF
age when the war broke out; but it was
not long before ] carried a musket and
marched in the ranks.
''In 1859 | was a student in Hiram
Eclectic Institute and James A. Garfield
was one of the professors. He was an
intellectual giant even among the excel
lent faculty then st the institute and
lowered above his associates as one Of
these Washington fir trees would tower
above the trees Of our Eastern forests.
We all admired him for his learning and
loved him for his kind and manly manner.
lie had splendid physique and with his
fair hair, bright blue eyes and that
personal magnetism which he exerted
over all men, we thought him the model
man and expected great things from him.
And many Of us lived to see our cherished
expectations realized. Nature bad been
kind TO him; but think it was his SPLEEN
did talents, excellent habits and patient
industry, even in the common drudgery of
life, that placed him on the pedestal of our
hopes. He was tirclc3S student and
long after the lights had been axtinguished
on the college campus, bis lamp could
have been seen burning in his study. He
preached as well as taught and his doc
fTine was that of pure, primitive
Christianity. His audiences were so large
that he was compelled TO preach out of
doors and i have never since seen such
open-air religious gatherings as those he
addressed. But | am depressing.
when Fort Sumpter was fired upon
study was out of the question in our school,
which had been hotbed of abolitionism.
Books were thrown aside and the students
formed military company, and the college
square became the drill ground for young
recruits who afterward composed Co. A.
Earfy-aecnnd 0btn Nntuntaar fufa r
went to my home at Newburg, Ohio, not
far distant from Hiram, and at once helped
10 organize company OF Zouaves. We
drilled steadily, and when the trst three
months men came home We engaged ono
of their number, dolly" Whitehead, as
drill master, and il was not long before we
were quite proficient in the manual of
arms and company tactics.
sOne night our company gave a grand
ball in the town hall and We were all there
In the full glory of our gray uniforms,
brilliantly bedeeked with gold and colors
We were very proud Of our uniforms and
so were our best girls. From the outset
the bali was success, both socially and
financially, and
"'The lamps shone DER fair women and brave
men;
a thousand hearts beat happily, and when
Music arose with its volnptuous swell
soft eyes looked love 10 eyes which spoke again,
Ana all went merry as marriage bell
I'm those days we had the good old
fashioned country dances, and we danced
with yigor. A qnadrille had lust been
formed on the floor and the music had lust
started up on the preliminary strain when
IN through the door at the end of the room
stepped tall, handsome man, dressed i'm
iull regimentals. The music died away
like forgotten song, and every eye was
turned toward the newcomer, who was
none other than Professor James A. Gar
held, who bad been commissioned colonel,
With authority to raise regiment from the
Western Reserve. Nearly every man.
woman and child in the room knew him.
and rs be stepped forward solemn silence
tell upon the hall. Dofiing his military
hat, and bowling gracefully, he started
down through the center of the room. re-
peating as he went:
Ion with the dance, let Joy be unconhned:
10 sleep I'LL morn, when Youth aud Pleasure
meet
To chase the glowing Hours with flying feet.
But harki that heavy sound breaks Ia once more
As II the clouds it's echo would repeat
Ana nearer, clearer, deadlier than before
Arm arm! itis--it is--the lannon's deadly roar
lie was splendid elocutionist and as
ne quoted the appropriate lines from
Chllde Harold, We all knew that he had
an object in coming there, and the women
were ltrst "a snrtnise what that object was.
As he spoke the last word of the Quota
ton lac stepped upon the platform where
the band was seated. and, holding up a
MS hand with a roll of paper in it, spoke
substantially as follows:
9" Il am here tonight an unlimited guest
and yet among SO many familiar faces |
feel as though | should be welcome The
governor of Ohio has commissioned me a
colonel with power 10 organize a regiment
of infantry. hold in my hand muster
roll, and particularly desire that this
company-almost every member of which
| know personally--shall volunteer. form
a company of my regiment. elect officers
and go IN body to the rendezvous at
Camp Chase. The gray uniform Won 1vear
has been adopted hy the rebels: n il not
the color for men with loyal hearts like
yours TO wear. Put your names to this
muster-roll and wear the blue. And vou
wives, mothers and sisters, listening with
throbhlng hearts and moist ewes to my
appeal, l ask You 20 let your Idols go with
me, trusting that the war viii soon be
over, and that the loved ones will he re-
turned 10 your arms. Let them be soldiers
~ earnest, lighting for the preservation of
The Union and the honor of the flag
livery loyal man and woman in the North
must make sacrifices in this war: battles
must be fought and victories won before
PeAce can rerurn To cur tuhled nation.
eur place and mine, men, are at the
front. Duty calls VIII YOU obey her call
and sign this roll"
W stood Tor moment as IL rooted IN
the spot. Then we looked NJ our wives
mothers, sisters and sweethearts and they
were looking M rs, while PRAYERS were. on
thelr ups. There MAS hut a moments
hesitation and the men commenced r,,ov-
ing forward. Then came up walls and
SahS from all parts of the hall The women
were poWerleSs against the magnetism of
the commanding man who stood thor.
NPon the platform mutely appealing To