St. Landry democrat., 1891-05-02
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
BY W. q. CLINE.
AMES A. GARFIELD.

m AnAhc Es uAhElEADs
lam = A. Garfield, was born in Grams
Township, Ohio, November 10, 1881.
His father died while he was yet a sma
boy, and his widowed mother was left i
poverty. Young James had but Unite
opportunities for education, and was con
PEELED to labor hard, in order to a. sist hi
mother to maintain the family. II
wogked at canal boating for a time, an
then became a carpenter.
While he was following the towpath, o
driving the jackplane, he was gaining al
the knowledge he could. by studying
during all his spare moments. As soon a,
he had saved up a little money, he entered
Williams College and worked his way
through to graduation.
He then commenced teaching, and fol.
lowed that profession fer several years,
when he studied law. He also frequently
occupied the pulpit and was a preacher of
rare ability, although not ordained to the
regular ministry.
At the breaking out of the war, he was
appointed colonel by one of the Ohio
regiments; and being ignorant of military
tactics, he took his text book into his
carpenter shop, and made blocks to rep
resent companies, platoons and battallions.
Then by manipulating the blocks he soop
made himself familiar with all the move.
ments. His regiment was soon noted as
the most thoroughly drilled of any of the
volunteer troups. He was soon placed in
command of a brigade, and fought the
battle of big Sandy" in Kentucky, de-
feating Humphrey Marshall. He wa
promoted to ~brigsdier general and after
wards to major general. He was assigned
to duty under Rosecrans, as chief of staff
n as such participated in the battle of
Chieksmauga. 1t is said that he tormu-
lated and wrote out every order given by
the ommanding general, but one. That
one was the fatal order given to Wood,
which he understood to order him at once,
to move to the left. He litreally obeyed
this, and left a gap in the Union lines |
into which Longstreet at once thrust q
Confederate column. 0g .
After the defeat of the Union right, Gar. |
1 rode to Gen. Thomas corps and
" sted him to hold his lines against the
vful assaults of Longstreet's men,
=, he'd with victory over McCook and
"ctenden. Here probably the most des.
duate fighting of the entire war took
cree: Gen. Garfield displayed the most
.spicgous gallantry. and the utmost
ilness in the desperate conflict.
orie animated the men by his words; and
ally siezing q mnsket, he stood In the
Imminent deadly breach" and fought
lind to hand until the Confederates were
pulsed. g#M 3d. .@@#.S VA
After this battle. Garfield was offered
pc command of a corps, or q seat in con-
,ress. His inclination impelled him to &C.
.ept the latter. He complied, and entered
he house of representatives where he re-
as one of the most CONSPICUOUS and
lble members, until 1880 when he was
dominated by the Republican convention,
leld at Chicago, for president of the .
Jnited States. He had been elected United :
states senator from Ohio. but had not yet :
AIKEN his seat, when nominated for the q
Presidency. 49, .sa'Rt RI =
Although opposed by the popular Gen +
hancock, Garfield was elected and entered y
nto his office, March 4, 1881. :
He soon found himself engaged in :
ontroversy. with senator Conkling, of ,
lew York, one of the ablest men In the =
republican party. Era "
Garfield proved equal to the occasion, a,
nd carried his point notwithstanding the = y
pposition. -"
Garfield was rapidly rising in popularity !,
hen in July of 1881, he was shot in the !
by Guiseau, q chronic Office seeker, u
I'D fingered in great agony, until Sep ),
mber 10, 1881 when he passed away. :,
The people Of the United States, with. y
II respect to party or section, were stirred =,
the most intense sympathy, by this : -
agic event. Perhaps nothing else could .,
I'VE done more to unite the people Of the Z,
that had recently been at war with ..
CHI other, together in the bonds of SYM ~ -,
thy, than the yellow fever scourge of 90 =.
SO, and the assassination Of Garfield in M
81 - =
The first called out the syn symrpathies of :
0 people of the North, for the sufferers =
the South ) and caused them to give '"
Dir aid TO the needy. s. q,
The second, called out expressions of =. :.
from the people of tie South a
the Nations president, although that ss
had been one of the bravsst of w.
brave an the Union side In the war. s.
At the grave of Garfield, the annimos- ~
% OF the wal were insa great measure II.
RED. Federals and ~Confederatss, side ~ :.
side, wept oyerthe untimsly and cruel 20
.th of one who had shown himself great "p
D soldier and a statesman, and had BY
purity of his life. and the integrity n
uprightness Of his actions, won the ,,
pect of all parties, t,a7s r...s.s ssu
he universal feeling was, that America ~
been bereaved Of n Of her greatest ma
n = u 2 s. g. A@
@&Eb - q IN the
" the
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