James Garfield & the Civil War: For Ohio and the Union

by Daniel Vermilya

This biography of America's twentieth president sheds light on his Civil War years, when he served as a major general for the Union Army.

While his presidency was tragically cut short by his assassination, James Abraham Garfield's eventful life covered some of the most consequential years of American history. When the United States was divided by war, Garfield was one of many who stepped forward to defend the Union. In this biography, historian Daniel J. Vermilya reveals the little-known story of Garfield's role in the Civil War.

From humble beginnings in Ohio, Garfield rose to become a major general in the Union army. His military career took him to the backwoods of Kentucky, the fields of Shiloh and Chickamauga, and ultimately to the halls of Congress. His service during the war established Garfield as a courageous leader who would one day lead the country as president.

Genres: History, Civil War, American Civil War

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2015

Reviews

[Jennifer Kemp]

I didn't know much about President James Garfield before reading. He seems like he was a good man and could have a been a good president if he was no assassinated. This book mostly covers his time as a union officer in the Civil War but I think it's good information that alot of people don't know what he contributed to the war.

[Jeff]

Poor James Garfield. He is one of those little-known U.S. presidents that served between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the 20th century. If he is remembered at all, it is usually for being one of the few sitting presidents who was assassinated in office. In fact, he was shot so early in his presidency that he never got a chance to really make a name for himself.

Thankfully, Daniel Vermilya has written this wonderful book about an even less-known aspect of James Garfield: he was a successful Union officer during the first half of the Civil War. This book concentrates on that period of Garfield's life and military service, shining some much-appreciated light on this now-forgotten man. I found it a fascinating read. Highly recommended.

[Mark]

My first biography on Garfield and I appreciate that it focused on his military career. Perhaps a bit too laudatory in parts and reluctant to find fault in others, I felt those passages were so transparent that the reader could set them aside if desired. Other parts seemed fairly impartial.

[Gary Passavant]

Great read about a noble man...

Learned a tremendous amount of information regarding the early life of a future president and a civil war general. He was taken too soon by a deranged man.