30 moments

1. Birth in Orange Township

   1831-11-19 · Moreland Hills, Ohio, United States

   

   Garfield was born in a log cabin in Orange Township, the area later incorporated as Moreland Hills. Coordinates represent present-day Moreland Hills, the successor locality named by the source.

2. Canal-work attempt

   1847-01-01 · Cleveland, Ohio, United States

   

   At age sixteen, Garfield left home seeking work in Cleveland; after being rejected for work on a ship, he worked on a canal boat. Settlement coordinates; the specific port and canal-boat location are not identified.

3. Geauga Seminary studies

   1848-01-01 · Geauga Seminary, Chester Township, Geauga County, Ohio, United States

   

   Following illness after canal work, Garfield began attending Geauga Seminary in Chester Township. Coordinates represent Chester Township/Chesterland; the former seminary site is not precisely located by the source.

4. Baptism in the Chagrin River

   1850-03-04 · Chagrin River, Ohio, United States

   

   Garfield underwent a religious conversion and was baptized by immersion in the Chagrin River. The source does not identify the exact river access point; coordinates are a representative point on the Chagrin River near Chester Township.

5. Western Reserve Eclectic Institute student

   1851-01-01 · Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio, United States

   

   Garfield attended the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, later Hiram College, while supporting himself through campus work and teaching.

6. Penmanship teacher in Pownal

   1854-01-01 · Pownal, Vermont, United States

   

   After his first Williams term, Garfield taught penmanship to students in nearby Pownal, Vermont. Year is derived from the chronology of his 1854 enrollment at Williams; the source does not specify the exact term dates.

7. Williams College student

   1854-01-01 · Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States

   

   After completing the Institute curriculum, Garfield enrolled at Williams College as a third-year student. The article establishes enrollment beginning after his 1851–1854 Institute attendance; it does not give a more precise arrival date.

8. Williams College commencement

   1856-08-01 · Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States

   

   Garfield graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College, was named salutatorian, and spoke at commencement.

9. Principal of the Eclectic Institute

   1857-01-01 · Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, Hiram, Ohio, United States

   

   Having returned to Hiram after graduation, Garfield taught at the Institute and became its principal.

10. 42nd Ohio training at Camp Chase

    1861-11-19 · Camp Chase and Magnolia Lodge area, Columbus, Ohio, United States

    

    While organizing and training the 42nd Ohio Infantry, Garfield was in Columbus, where he became a Freemason at Magnolia Lodge. Coordinates represent Camp Chase; the source identifies the lodge in Columbus but does not provide its exact historic location.

11. Departure from Catlettsburg

    1861-12-01 · Catlettsburg, Kentucky, United States

    

    Garfield led the 42nd Ohio from Catlettsburg into eastern Kentucky as part of the Army of the Ohio. The source specifies mid-December but not a day.

12. Advance on Corinth

    1862-01-01 · Corinth, Mississippi, United States

    

    Garfield's brigade advanced with the combined Union armies toward Corinth, arriving after Confederate forces had withdrawn. The preceding passage identifies Garfield's troops as part of the combined army; the source does not provide a more precise arrival date.

13. Battle of Shiloh

    1862-01-01 · Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee, United States

    

    Garfield's troops joined the Union army on the second day at Shiloh; he was under fire but was uninjured. The source does not state the calendar date in this passage; year-level precision is retained.

14. Reprovisioning at Prestonsburg

    1862-01-01 · Prestonsburg, Kentucky, United States

    

    After the Battle of Middle Creek, Garfield directed his troops to Prestonsburg to reprovision. The event followed the January 9 battle; the source does not specify a day of arrival.

15. Advance to Paintsville

    1862-01-06 · Paintsville, Kentucky, United States

    

    Garfield's force reached Paintsville during its eastern Kentucky campaign; its cavalry engaged Confederate forces at Jenny's Creek. Settlement coordinates; the source locates the engagement at Jenny's Creek rather than a precise point in town.

16. Battle of Middle Creek

    1862-01-09 · Middle Creek National Battlefield, Floyd County, Kentucky, United States

    

    Garfield personally commanded Union forces in the Battle of Middle Creek, his only pitched battle as commander. Coordinates represent the Middle Creek battlefield.

17. Court-martial duty in Washington

    1862-11-01 · Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Garfield was in Washington awaiting an assignment and served on the court-martial of Major General Fitz John Porter. City coordinates; the court-martial venue is not specified.

18. Ride across Missionary Ridge

    1863-09-01 · Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

    

    During the Battle of Chickamauga, Garfield crossed Missionary Ridge to survey whether part of the Union army still held the field. The source supports September 1863 but does not identify which of the battle's two days he crossed the ridge.

19. Takes House seat

    1863-12-01 · United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    After resigning his Army commission, Garfield began his congressional career in the House of Representatives. Coordinates represent the Capitol, where the House met.

20. Meeting with President Grant

    1870-01-01 · White House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    As chairman of the House Banking Committee, Garfield met President Ulysses S. Grant privately during the Black Friday investigation. The article dates the investigation from January 1870 but does not give the meeting's day.

21. Bitterroot Salish negotiations

    1871-01-01 · Bitterroot Valley, Montana Territory, United States

    

    Garfield traveled to Montana Territory to negotiate removal of the Bitterroot Salish to the Flathead Indian Reservation. Coordinates represent Stevensville in the Bitterroot Valley, a defensible representative point for the broader valley named in the source.

22. Front-porch campaign at Lawnfield

    1880-01-01 · Lawnfield, Mentor, Ohio, United States

    

    Garfield conducted the successful front-porch campaign that helped carry him to the presidency from his Mentor home, Lawnfield.

23. Meeting New York party leaders

    1880-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    After his nomination, Garfield traveled to New York to seek unity between Republican factions before returning to Ohio. The source does not provide a more precise date or meeting venue.

24. Republican National Convention

    1880-06-01 · Interstate Exposition Building site, Chicago, Illinois, United States

    

    Garfield attended the Republican National Convention in Chicago, spoke in defense of delegates, and became the presidential nominee. Coordinates represent central Chicago near the former Exposition Building site; the historic building no longer stands.

25. Departure for inauguration

    1881-02-28 · Lawnfield, Mentor, Ohio, United States

    

    Garfield departed his Mentor home for Washington ahead of his inauguration as president.

26. Presidential inauguration

    1881-03-04 · United States Capitol, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Garfield took the presidential oath at the East Portico of the United States Capitol.

27. Return to the White House after shooting

    1881-07-02 · White House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    After initial treatment in a station office, Garfield was taken back to the White House, where doctors treated his wounds.

28. Shot at Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station

    1881-07-02 · Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau while preparing to depart Washington by train. Coordinates identify the former station site.

29. Transfer to Francklyn Cottage

    1881-09-06 · Francklyn Cottage site, Elberon, Long Branch, New Jersey, United States

    

    Garfield was moved from Washington to the seaside Francklyn Cottage at Elberon in hopes that the climate would aid his recovery. Coordinates are a representative point for Elberon; the source does not provide a surviving precise cottage coordinate.

30. Death at Elberon

    1881-09-19 · Francklyn Cottage site, Elberon, Long Branch, New Jersey, United States

    

    Garfield died at Elberon after prolonged medical treatment for the wounds he received in the July assassination attempt. The narrative identifies the death as occurring the day after September 18 at the Elberon residence.