Corporal Garrett was born on Sept. 29, 1889 near Windsor, son of Peter A. Garrett. On Sept. 23, 1910, he enlisted in Company L., 23rd infantry, and at the expiration of his three year enlistment was honorably discharged Sept. 26, 1913. On March 18, 1914, he re-enlisted at Columbus Barracks, Ohio, and served in Panama from March 25, 1915 to Aug. 18, 1915, when at his own request he again was honorably discharged. Under the draft law in 1917 his number was the 11th drawn in Washington and the third in Shelby county. However, as a son of a volunteer in the Civil war, he waited not for the operation of the machinery of the draft, but on July 27, 1917, enlisted at Indianapolis in the 46th infantry. When the commanding officer called for volunteers for the 28th regiment, part of which already was in France, he was the first to step forward. Later he was asked to go to Camp Taylor as top sergeant to train men for France, but to his commanding officer he said: "I am ready for action, let me go to France," and on October 27, 1917, he sailed. Over there he was assigned to 2d Co., Divisional Machine Gun Battalion, First division, A. E. F., and fell in the desperate fighting for the capture of Catigny. To Garrett's father, his captain wrote: He died in action, nobly performing his duty for his country.

He died on May 31, 1918, from the effect of wounds received while commanding a gun in the capture of a village occupied by the Germans on May 28 and 29. His captain writes that he did splendid work keeping his gun in action and looking after his squad, although under the most severe shell fire. A shell fell in the trench where he was, killing two and wounding three, of whom he was one. He died shortly after being evacuated to the hospital. He is now buried in Sand Creek Cemetery, Windsor, Shelby County, Illinois, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, Windsor Gazette – 14 Apr 1921