will never be
forgotten. Within three months of raising his regiment, he was
prepared to take the field, and the sphere of his operations was the
State of Kentucky.

This large and important State, which lay on the borders of the
slave-holding districts, was by no means unanimous in favour of the
Union. General Marshall, with an army of 5000 Confederates, had taken
up a position in Eastern Kentucky; and Garfield, having reported
himself to General Buell at Louisville, was ordered to march against
the invaders. It was at Middle Creek where the two small opposing
armies met Garfield's forces numbered, all told, about 2600; the
Confederates were nearly double. Garfield found the enemy posted on
the double crest of a low hill, and he at once commenced his attack.

The charge was led by the hundred Hiram students, who were ordered to
cross the stream and climb the opposite ridge, the intention being to
draw the enemy out of their ambuscade. But the slope of the hill was
swept with rebel bullets, and the Hiram boys had to seek shelter among
the trees.

[Illustration: Garfield and his regiment going into action.]

While the young men held their position in the timber, a support of 500
men came up, and the little brigade faced nearly 4000 muskets. Then
Colonel Moore and his loyal Kentuckians volunteered to carry the hill.
Standing on a rock in full sight of his men, and a conspicuous mark for
the Confederates' rifles, Garfield directed the fight. For a while it
seemed doubtful on which side victory should fall, until through the
trees the commander caught sight of a glancing banner, and with a shout
he announced that reinforcements had arrived. The enemy had seen it
also, and at once began a retreat, which soon became a scamper.

For this brilliant little victory, the first that had fallen to the
Federal arms, Garfield was made a brigadier-general. He was now
thirty-one years of age, and had served in the army about four months.

Garfield's force in Eastern Kentucky held the field, but they held it
starving. Their provisions were done, the roads were impassable, the
people unfriendly, and the river swollen and dangerous. But Garfield's
early experience as a canal boy now stood him in good stead. Among his
troops was his old companion and humble friend of the towpath, Harry S.
Brown, the poor fellow who, in spite of a good heart and shrewd sense,
had been so long the unhappy victim of intemperance. But the man