The Washington herald., 1912-05-26

slave came running into camp with
bloody head. Soon afterward a bully
ing sort Of white man rode up anc
asked after his Niger" The division
commander sympathized with the theory
that runaway negroes should be returned
TO their masters, and wrote an order
to Gen. James A. Garfield Gin whose
camp the negro was supposed TO be hid
ing)' telling him to hunt out and de-
liver the property.
Garfield took the order from the aid
who brought 1t. turned II over, and
wrote on the back: Il respectfully but
positively decline to allow my command
to search for or deliver up any fugitive
slaves. conceive that it is here for
quite another purpose"
when 1t was suggested TO MIN that
such a refusal to obey orders would be
likely to have serious consequences for
himself he replied: The matter may as
well be tested first as last. Right Is
right, and don't propose to minee mat
ters at all My soldiers are here for
other purposes than hunting and return
ing fugitive slaves Ny people on the
Western Reserve Of Ohio did not SEND
my boys and myself down here TO do
me up in my action"
The upshOt Of the affai- was that moth
ing whatever came Of H. This was, how
ever, the first instance in which Union
ofiicer refused to return runaway slave
But the principle Of Garfield's action was
soon after embodied in a general order
thus receiving the Endorsement Of the
War Department.
Early in the civil war Garfield, before
~ ha1 arTHTn fRan n
found himself in command OF four Tegi-
ments Of infantry and eight companies
Of cavalry. II was Of utmost impor-
tance TO open communication with Col
Cranor, who, with a considerable body
OF troops, was at Paris. Ky, and to
effect a junction with him. Paris was
100 miles distant, and the intervening
country was filed with rowing bands Of
Ruerrillas and Southern sympathiZers.
Garfield said to Col. Moore. Of the Four
teenth Kentucky Regiment: have you
a man who will die rather than fail or
betray UsT'
Il have such a man." replied Col.
Moore He is called John Jordan from
the head Of Blaine"
John Jordan was a tall, skinny Ken
tuckian, about thirty years old, with
falsetto voice. who spoke the rude dia-
lect Of the mountains. A dispatch ad-
Garfield on tissue paper, rolled into the
form Of q bullet. and coated with warm
lead. Concealing this on his person.
John Jordan. armed with a carbine and
a pair Of revolvers, left camp on the
fieetest horse In the regiment He was
to ride at night and hide in the day
time. But news OF his mission reached
the enemy in some way, and on the first
day out he narrowly escaped capture, the
house in which he was sleeping being
surrounded by guerrillas. Hastily giving
the precious bullet to the woman who
was hiding him, with instructions TO for
ward II to Col Cranor in case he was
killed he dashed out Of the door as II
was burst in, ran the gantlet, killed
one of the attacking party, and escaped.
Alterward he stole back. recovered the
bullet. and safely delivered Il to Cranor.
It was almost Immediately afterward
that Garfield made his remarkable at
tack upon a superior force under Gen.
forcing him to retreat He said in later
years: 1T was a very rash and i'm
prudent move on my part. II had
been an officer Of more experience prob
ably should not have made the attack
As II was, having gone into the army
with the notion that fighting was our
business, I did not know any better"
On one occasion, while Garfield was
speaking at Chestertown-a place were
he had fought the enemy a few weeks
earlier-a rotten egg was thrown at him
by a Southern sympathizer. He respond
ed referring to the previous confiict) by
saying, They carried more. dangerous
v eapOns then, but, as I did not run, Il
is not likely that I shall run now: and,
If fought then, II necessary I can fight
now"
The crowd was delighted, and turned
to punish the egg-thrower-grabbing the
wrong man, however. and inficting upon
him a severe beating.
Like Garfield, another future Presi- !
dent Benjamin Harrison, found himself |
while still very young man transferred |
in life to high military COM !
nand. He commanded a brigade be-
fore he was thirty years old
Harrison was one Of those who respond |
ed to the first call for troops to serve |
ninety days-such being the length Of /
time which II was thought would be re- |
quired to put down the secession move |
nent When he got back to Indianapoli |
after three months Of soldering the war
was still going on. and things looked |
very gloomy TO the nation. By chance he |
went to see Gov. Morton on business.
The Governor expressed disbursement \
on account Of the apathy shown by the 1
people in regard to the struggle enlist
nents being slow. to which Harrison re-
piled: IF 1 can be OF service, I am |
ready"
You can" replied the Governor. You
,an raise a regiment in this district.
You get up the regiment. and we can
ind some one else to take II into the
ield"
No" said Harrison: IF make a re-
,ruiting speech and ask any man to en-
list, I propose to go with him and stay
Is long as he does"
We'll. then, you can command the reg