GARFIELD, JAMES ABRAM, b. in Cuyahoga co., Ohio, Nov. 19, 1831. Early left fatherless, his youth was spent in alternate periods of study at school and hard manual work for his own support. He worked on a farm, and is said to have driven horses on the Ohio canal. He learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at it during his school vacation in 1850. He had already entered the Geauga seminary at Chester, Ohio, where he began the study of Latin, Greek, and algebra. In 1851, he entered the Western Reserve Eclectic institute at Hiram, Ohio, where, in 1853-54, he was at once a student and teacher. In 1854, he entered Williams college, Mass., where he graduated with distinguished honor in 1856. .11e• became classical teacher in the institute at Hiram, Ohio, of which he was elected the head one year later. Before entering college,he had united with the Disciples' church, in which lie bad been brought up, and, according to the usage of that denomination, though never formally ordained to the ministry, he often preached. In 1858, be entered his name as a student with a law firm in Cleveland, though his study was carried ou by himself at Hiram. Graduating from.college in 1856, at the time of the organization of the republican party, he cast his first vote that year for its candidate, and took part in the in several speeches. In 1859, lie was elected to represent the counties of Portage and Summit in the Ohio state senate. In this office he was an able debater and an industrious committee-man; and, as secession appeared in 1860-61, he contributed much to direct public sentiment and make ready for national defense*. In Aug., 1861, he was appointed lieut.col. of volunteers, and in Sept., colonel. In Dec., Aug., reported for duty to gen. Buell at Louisville. Ky., and was ordered, in command of a brigade of four regiments of infantry, to repel the rebels under gen. Humphrey Marshall from the valley of the Big Sandy river. He accomplished this task in Jan., 1862, defeating Marshall in the battle of Middle creek, and forcing him to retreat from the, state. He was commissioned brig.gen., given com mand of the 20th brigade, and ordered to join gen. Buell. He reached, with his brigade, the field of Shiloh on the second day of the battle, and aided in the final repulse. of the enemy ; and next day, at the front with Sherman, took part in the attack on the enemy's rear-guard. He participated in the siege of Corinth, mid, after its evacuation, was detailed tb rebuild the railroad to Decatur. In Oct., 1862, he served on a court of inquiry, and in Nov. on the court-martial which tried gen. Fitz-John
Porter. In Feb., 1863, he joined the army of the Cumberland under Rosecrans, just after the vidtorions but severe battle of Stone river, and was appointed chief of staff. In the discussion in regard to a forward movement, G., as chief of staff, collated the written opinions of the seventeen corps, division, and cavalry generals, and summarized their substance with cogent arguments of his own in a report which Mr. Whitelaw Reid pronounces " the ablest military document submitted by a chief of staff to his superior during the war." This report induced Rosecrans to move forward, contrary to the opinions of most of his generals, in the Tullahoma campaign, opening the way for the advance on Chattanooga. In the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19, G. issued the orders, As chief of staff, and, during the temporary reverse in the midst of the battle, rode under fire across the country, and took word to Thomas, commanding the left wing, of the necessities of the situation, and, under Thomas, assisted in retrieving the disaster. G. was sent to Washington with dispatches, and was made maj.gen. for his services' at the battle.
Having been elected a representative in congress, he resigned his commission, Dec. 3, 1863, and took his seat in the house of representatives, where he served as member of the military committee until the close of the war. Largely through his efforts and arguments, the commutation clause of the enrollment act was repealed, and the draft enforced at a time when otherwise the army would have been fatally depleted. Jan. 28, 1864. he delivered a speech on the seizure and confiscation of rebel property. In Mar., 1864, he spoke on free commerce between the states; and Jan. 13, 1865, on the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery. In 1865, he was assigned to the commit tee of ways and means, and Mar. 16, 1866, made an elaborate speech on the public debt -and specie payments. In July following; he spoke on the revision of the tariff. In 1867-68, lid took strong ground against the inflation of the currency. In Dec., 1867, he returned to the military committee as chairman, and held that place during the dis cussions on the reconstruction of the states lately in rebellion, delivering a speech, Jan. 17, 1868, on the power of congress in this relation, in which be severely criticised the action of the president, and the course of maj.gen. Hancock in his .celebrated " order No. 40." He also sustained the motion to impeach the president.