| James Abram Garfield was born on November 19, 1831 near Orange, Ohio, the youngest of Abram and Eliza Garfield's four children. James worked on the family farm and later on a canal boat before attending Geauga Academy in Chester, Ohio. In 1851 Garfield began attending Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College) and during this time he became a minister in the Disciples of Christ Church. In 1854 Garfield travelled to Williamstown, Massachusetts to continue his studies at Williams College. After graduating from Williams College in 1856 Garfield returned to the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute as a professor and a year later he became president of the college. In 1858 Garfield married Lucretia Rudolph, a former classmate and daughter of an Eclectic Institute trustee. They would have seven children, five of which survived to adulthood. By this time Garfield had become well known in the area due to his positions as president of the college and as a minister and in 1859 he was approached by local Republicans interested in nominating Garfield for a state senate seat. Garfield consented and after winning the Republican nomination in August, 1859, Garfield won the general election two months later. Following the attack on Fort Sumter and the outbreak of the Civil War Garfield helped to raise troops for the Union cause and was appointed colonel of the 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry by Governor William Dennison. After training at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio, Garfield and the 42nd joined General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio at Louisville, Kentucky. Garfield then received command of the 18th brigade, which included the 42nd Ohio. Garfield's first assignment was to help halt the Confederate advance into eastern Kentucky. While Brigadier General George H. Thomas dealt with the main Confederate force, Garfield's target was a smaller rebel force that had entered Kentucky from Virginia. In late December, 1861, Garfield set out to intercept the Confederates under the command of Brigadier General Humphrey Marshall. On January 9, 1862 Garfield and his 1,700 men found Marshall's 1,500 soldiers positioned on a ridge at Middle Creek, Kentucky, near the Kentucky/Virginia (now West Virginia) border. The next day Garfield launched a series of attacks against the Confederates that lasted throughout the day. Garfield could not dislodge the rebels and the fight ended in a draw. The next day the Confederates retreated into Virginia, leaving the Federals in command of the field. Middle Creek was Garfield's first experience in war, and while not an overwhelming success, he did achieve his objective and had forced Marshall out of Kentucky. Garfield was awarded a promotion to the rank of Brigadier General and his victory was publicized in newspapers throughout the North, which had not had much success to celebrate at this point in the war. Two months later Garfield routed the last Confederate force in eastern Kentucky. On March 14, 1862 Garfield attacked the Confederate force of a couple hundred soldiers at Pound Gap, Kentucky. Hesitant to launch a frontal attack on the Confederates after Middle Creek, Garfield tried to encircle the rebels and cut off their retreat. However the Confederates fled into Virginia before Garfield could get his troops into position. Garfield pursued the Confederates but could not overtake them before they reached Virginia. Following his campaign in eastern Kentucky Garfield rejoined Buell and the Army of the Ohio, which was now at Nashville, Tennessee. However the 18th brigade was sent to Louisville and Garfield was placed in command of the 20th brigade. Garfield led his new brigade to Shiloh, where they arrived on the second day of the battle as the Confederates were retreating. Garfield and his brigade took part in the pursuit of the Confederates and in the Federal capture of Corinth, Mississippi. While at Corinth Garfield was struck by a severe case of dysentery. He took a leave of absence and returned to Ohio. While recovering in Hiram Garfield was nominated as the Republican candidate for Congress and in October, 1862 he won the seat from the 19th District. However, Garfield's term would not begin until December, 1863 and so he remained in the army. Garfield received orders to report to Washington where he served as a judge in the court martial of Major General Fitz-John Porter for his actions at the Second Battle of Bull Run. After the court martial found Porter guilty, Garfield received orders to report to Major General William Rosecran's Army of the Cumberland. After joining the Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee Garfield became Rosecran's chief of staff. Garfield was with Rosecrans nine months later at the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. On the second day of the battle, September 20, the Confederates broke through the Union right flank and forced two of the three Federal corps to retreat to Chattanooga. The remaining corps, under the command of George Thomas, was holding off the Confederates as best as it could. Retreating back to Chattanooga with Rosecrans, Garfield volunteered to return to alert Thomas as to the condition of the rest of the army. Garfield remained with Thomas during the rest of the battle, keeping Rosecrans undated on Thomas' situation until Thomas finally withdrew at night. For his actions at Chickamauga Garfield was promoted to the rank of major general and was being considered for command of a division. However in December, 1863 Garfield resigned his commission to begin this term in Congress. Garfield spent the next seventeen years in Congress and among his accomplishments were the modernization of the Census Bureau and the creation of the National Department of Education. He was also a strong supporter of "hard money" (gold-backed currency) and served as the chairman of the Banking and Currency Committee and the Appropriations Committee. In June, 1880 Garfield attended the Republican Convention in Chicago. After the Convention became deadlocked between supporters of Ohio Senator John Sherman, Maine Senator James G. Blaine, and former President Ulysses S. Grant, Garfield won the nomination as a compromise candidate. That summer and fall Garfield campaigned from Lawnfield, his home in Mentor, Ohio, against the Democratic candidate, Winfield S. Hancock. In November, 1880 Garfield became the twentieth president of the United States. While winning the popular vote by less than 10,000 votes, Garfield won the electoral vote 214 to 155. Garfield's term began with a battle against members of his own party and against Congress over the appointment of cabinet positions and the patronage system. Garfield was in office less than four months when he was shot by Charles Guiteau, a religious fanatic upset over not receiving a government position from the new president. Shot on July 2, 1881, Garfield lived for more than two months with a bullet buried in him which the doctors could not locate. On September 19, 1881 Garfield died. After services in Washington and in Cleveland Garfield was entombed at Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland. Source: Peskin, Allan. Garfield. Kent, Ohio : Kent State University Press, 1978. |
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| James Garfield |