tments, and also gave instruction in the ancient
languages. Entered Williams College in the autumn of 1854, and graduated
with the highest honors in the class of 1856. Returned to Ohio and
resumed his place as a teacher of Latin and Greek at Hiram Institute,
and the next year, being then only 26 years of age, was made its
president. The regulations and practices of his church, known as the
Christian Church, or Church of the Disciples, permitted him to preach,
and he used the permission. He also pursued the study of law, entering
his name in 1858 as a student in a law office in Cleveland, but studying
in Hiram. Cast his first vote in 1856 for John C. Fremont, the first
Republican candidate for the Presidency. Married Lucretia Rudolph
November 11, 1858. In 1859 was chosen to represent the counties of
Summit and Portage in the Ohio senate. In August, 1861, Governor William
Dennison commissioned him lieutenant-colonel in the Forty-second
Regiment Ohio Volunteers. Was promoted to the command of this regiment.
In December, 1861, reported to General Buell in Louisville, Ky. Was
given a brigade and assigned the difficult task of driving the
Confederate general Humphrey Marshall from eastern Kentucky. General
Garfield triumphed over the Confederate forces at the battle of Middle
Creek, January 10, 1862, and in recognition of his services was made a
brigadier-general by President Lincoln. During the campaign of the Big
Sandy, while Garfield was engaged in breaking up some scattered
Confederate encampments, his supplies gave out and he was threatened
with starvation. Going himself to the Ohio River, he seized a steamer,
loaded it with provisions, and on the refusal of any pilot to undertake
the perilous voyage, because of a freshet that had swelled the river, he
stood at the helm for forty-eight hours and piloted the craft through
the dangerous channel. In order to surprise Marshall, then intrenched in
Cumberland Gap, Garfield marched his soldiers 100 miles in four days
through a blinding snowstorm. Returning to Louisville, he found that
General Buell was away; overtook him at Columbia, Tenn., and was
assigned to the command of the Twentieth Brigade. Reached Shiloh in time
to take part in the second day's fight. Was engaged in all the
operations in front of Corinth, and in June, 1862, rebuilt the bridges
on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and exhibited noticeable
engineering skill in repairing the fortifications of Huntsville.