"In the second year of the war between the States, he was a cadet in the Military School at Tuscaloosa, Ala. He determined at once to go to the defense of his country. His intelligence, bravery, and sound judgment soon attracted attention, and at the age of sixteen he was transferred to the Nelson Rangers, which was made the escort of Gen. Stephen D. Lee. With this command he rendered great service. He was in the thickest of the fight at the battle of Nashville, where his bravery was conspicuous. His courageous bearing and gallant conduct on the bloody field of Franklin, Tenn, where fell tell thousand of Iris brave comrades, was most distinguished, and it was said that "never did Knight in the crusades acquit himself more gloriously than did Louis Garrard, in the front rank, in the blood-stained slaughter pen at Franklin."
For his gallantry on the field at the battle of Nashville he received a flattering recommendation from Gen. Stephen D. Lee, securing for trim a commission in tlis regular army of the Confederacy, to take effect upon the close of hostilties. The termination of the war made that an impossibility, and as Iris education had been so interrupted by the war, he went to Lexington and entered the University of Kentucky, where he remained one year, and then became a student in the Law School at Harvard. Upon his return home he was admitted to the bar, and has since enjoyed a lucrative practice in his native city. He has often filled positions of trust and honor, and by his marked ability as a lawyer and financier, has gained the confidence of his city, county, and State He has been a county commissioner for twenty-five years. In 1878 he was put forward by the people for Legislative honors, and in the election led the ticket. In the House of Representatives he was one of the committee on finance, and is the author of the famous "Baby Bond 13111," which became a law, and which enabled Georgia to float her indebtedness from seven to four percent, thereby saving the State thousands of dollars. He was reelected to the Legislature, and made speaker of the House of Representatives during the terms of 1882 and 1883.
He then retired from politics and gave his entire time to his profession. In 1892 he was elected a delegate to the State convention and wrote the platform. From there he was sent as a delegate to the Chicago Convention, was a member of the Committee on Resolutions and was the author of several of the planks which formulated that platform. In February 1894, he announced for the United States Senate and was defeated, but the disappoinment was without sting or humiliation, as he entered the campaign against great odds. After the heated contest was over at the capital he returned home and at once took the stump for Democracy. It was said of him, "Georgia needs more Democrats like Louis F. Garrard."
Mr. Garrard is now being strongly urged to become the Democratic candidate for Governor of Georgia, and if he consents to make the race, his friends consider his success assured.
He married Annie Foster Leonard, daughter of Van de Van Leonard, who was born in Petersburg, Va., 1790, and died August 3d, 1861. Her mother was Frances Ramsay Darnell, born January 4th, 1804, died May 29th, 1879. Mrs. Garrard was born in Muscogee county, Ga., July 6th, 1849. Their children are Louis F., born July 27th, 1874; Francis Urquhart, born June 1st, 1876; Annie Leonard, born October 17th, 1878; Guy Castleman, born June 28th, 1883; Helen Gertrude, born April 2d, 1886, and Frances Isabel Garrard, born December 23d, 1894. Two children, William Leonard, born August 17th, 1870, and Van de Van Garrard, born October 30th, 1887, are deceased.
Anna Russell des Cognets, Governor Garrard of Kentucky: His Descendants and Relatives. Higginson Book Company: ISBN 0832887080/72. 1898, 1962, 1997
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