Description:

Garfield ALS as Civil War General, "If this nation goes down...its epitaph may be written...'Died 4 West Point'."

Autograph Letter Signed, "J. A. Garfield", 4pp on a bifold sheet, 8" x 10", Washington, October 25, 1862. Garfield signs a second time after his postscript, which he penned vertically along the front page, "J.A.G." Expected folds with a small expert repair to separation, some lightening of text on page 1, minor scattered foxing, else near Fine for this detailed and extensively written letter.

Brigadier General James Garfield writes to Colonel Lionel Allen Sheldon,

"My dear Sheldon", in part, "It has been a long time since I have heard from you, or from any of the 42nd directly...I knew of course it was useless to write you till you were out of the clutches of the rebels...It is marvelous to me that anybody should think of putting the blame of that retreat on the shoulders of Gen Morgan's shoulders instead of Gen Buell's...Buell was suspended a few weeks ago, but a few...protested & he was restored the same evening...The President and Sec. of War have treated me very kindly, and offered to give me any place I want...They are now talking of sending me to Florida...Everybody is depressed and disheartened at the weak and imbecile way in which the war is managed. It looks darker than ever before. If this nation goes down in blood and darkness, its epitaph may be written in a very short sentence, 'Died 4 West Point". Halleck, McClellan, and Buell are the Trinity of Evils which have been cursing us so long..The next congress will doubtless be Locofoco & possibly anti war, but I hope we shall end the war before it meets."

Garfield was promoted to brigadier general at the age of 30. After Marshall's retreat, Garfield's command was the sole remaining Union force in eastern Kentucky, and he announced that any men who had fought for the Confederacy would be granted amnesty if they returned to their homes and lived peaceably and remained loyal to the Union. The proclamation was surprisingly lenient, as Garfield now believed the war was a crusade for the eradication of slavery. While serving in the Army in early 1862, Garfield was approached by friends about running for Congress from Ohio's newly redrawn, heavily Republican 19th district. He was worried that he and other state-appointed generals would get obscure assignments, and running for Congress would allow him to resume his political career. The fact that the new Congress would not hold its first regular session until December 1863 would allow him to continue his war service for a time. Home on medical leave, he refused to campaign for the nomination, leaving that to political managers who secured it at the local convention in September 1862, on the eighth ballot. In October, he defeated D.B. Woods by a two-to-one margin in the general election for a seat in the 38th Congress.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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