sembled and passed a comfortable night in the enemy's quarters, faring sumptuously upon the viands there found. The next morning the cabins, sixty in number, were burned, the breastworks destroyed and the general set out on his return to Piketon, which he reached the following night, having been absent four days and having marched in that time about one hundred miles over a rough, and broken country.

Six days afterward an order was received to leave a small garrison at Piketon, and to transfer the rest of the command, as rapidly as possible, to Louisville.

This ended the campaign on the Big Sandy, a campaign that more than justified every hope of Garfield's friends, and won him a military reputation that has continued unto the end. The operations in the Sandy Valley had been conducted with such energy and skill as to receive the special commendation of the commanding-general, and of the Government. General Buell was moved to words of unwonted praise, and sent to Garfield the following congratulatory order:

HEAD-QUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
LOUISVILLE, Ky., January 20th, 1862.

General Orders, No. 40.

The general commanding takes occasion to thank General Garfield and his troops for their successful campaign against the rebel force under General Marshall, on the Big Sandy, and their gallant conduct in battle. They have overcome

formidable difficulties in the character of country, condition of the roads and the inclemency of the season; and, without artillery, have in several engagements, terminating in the battle of Middle Creek, on the 10th inst., driven the enemy from his intrenched position and forced him back into the mountains, with a loss of a large amount of baggage and stores, and many of his men killed or captured.

These services have called into action the highest qualities of a soldier-fortitude, perseverance and courage.

By order, DON CARLOS BUELL,

Major-General Commanding.

The War Department, to show its appreciation, made Colonel Garfield a Brigadier-General, the commission bearing the date of the battle of Middle Creek, January 10th, 1862. And the country, without understanding very well the details of the campaign, fully appreciated the tangible result. The discomfiture of Humphrey Marshall was a source of special chagrin to the rebel sympathizers in Kentucky, and of amusement and admiration throughout the loyal West. Garfield at once took rank in the public estimation, as worthily among the most promising of the younger volunteer generals.

In his "Ohio in the War," Whitelaw Reid passes this judgment on the campaign: "Later criticism will confirm the general verdict then passed upon the Sandy Valley campaign. It was the first of the brilliant series of successes that made the spring of 1862 so memorable. Mill Springs, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Nashville, Island

No. 10 and Memphis, followed in quick succession; but it was to Garfield's honor that he had opened this season of victories. His plans, as we have seen, were based on sound military principles; the energy which he threw into their execution was thoroughly admirable, and his management of the raw volunteers, was such that they acquired the fullest confidence in their commander and endured the hardships of the campaign with fortitude not often shown in the first field-service of new troops. But the operations were on a small scale, and their chief significance lay in the capacity they developed, rather than in their intrinsic importance."

CHAPTER XIV.

G

OFF TO AID GRANT.

ARFIELD has now to be transferred to a wider field of operations. His conspicu

ous ability, developed in battle, and his great bravery could not be allowed to remain idle within the bounds of the Big Sandy district, so effectively freed by him from the control of the rebels.

When he arrived at Louisville, he found that the Army of the Ohio was already beyond Nashville, on its way to aid Grant at Pittsburg Landing. He hastened after it, and reported to General Buell about thirty miles south of Columbia, and under his orders at once assumed command of the Twentieth Brigade, then a part of the division under General Thomas J. Wood. General Wood was making all possible effort to reach the Union forces under Grant, as the approaching battle with Sidney Johnson was anticipated as very probably a battle of the greatest importance.

The battle began on the morning of April 6th. About ten that day, Grant hearing that Wood, with the second division of Buell's army, had arrived at Savannah, sent him the following order:

"You will move your command, with the utmost