ength he reluctantly consented.
Grasping Garfield's hand, his chief said, "We may not meet again.
Good-bye; God bless you." And, with this kindly farewell in his ears,
the young brigadier-general rode away.

With three companions for guides, he made for the tangled forest. Then
they trotted past Rossville. Here, as they swept along the narrow
road, a thousand rifles opened fire upon them, and two of the little
party fell. They had ridden into a body of Confederate skirmishers who
were hanging upon the flank of Thomas's army.

Garfield put his horse to the fence and leaped into a cottonfield. The
hedge on the other side of the field was lined with muskets. Garfield
rode a zig-zag course across the field, and so prevented the enemy from
taking aim. His course slanted upwards, and he knew that if he could
but gain the top of the hill, he would be out of range of the rebel
rifles. Twice a volley was fired, and the second time his horse
received a nasty flesh wound; but still Garfield was uninjured. His
good horse, though losing blood fast, kept on. He had reached the
crest of the hill just as the second volley of bullets whizzed past
him, and the next moment he was safe. A party of Thomas's troops rode
out to meet him, they dashed down the hill together, and in a few more
minutes Garfield's horse dropped dead at the feet of General Thomas.

But the object of his ride was accomplished. Thomas held out long
enough to enable Rosecrans to strengthen himself and occupy
Chattanooga, and the army was saved. The stand which General Thomas
made at Chickamauga was said to be the most brilliant defence of the
whole war, and the ride of Garfield the most heroic deed. For this
exploit he was raised to the rank of major-general.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FILLING THE GAP.

Called to Washington--Elected to the Congress--His Plan for increasing
the Army--The Slaves' Friend--Abraham Lincoln shot--Stilling the Tumult.

After the battle of Chickamauga, General Garfield retired from the army.
His help was greatly needed in a sphere where the same courage would find
scope, but where other gifts besides decision and dash were required.

He had been a State Senator for Ohio for several years. Now he was to
become a Member of Congress, the national Parliament of the United States.

He was elected a representative of Congress in 1862, but did not
immediately take his seat. So far, his place seemed with the army; but
when, in