Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-09-04
VOLUME 35, NO. 43.

organized. ] had no time to observe him,
and he was never forward to speak. Alter
ward put him in the Adjufsnt General
office and although we did not know it
particularly It the time. we have found
since that he laid the foundation there of
what is now. probably. the. best adjutant
generals Office in the United States. Be-
fore the war it was nothing. During all
this time Grant was seldom in my mind.
bad too much TO do 10 keep personal watch
ove- every officer in the State. and did not
look out particularly for the Coming Man.
But Grant made no mistakes, and I saw
that his West Point knowledge was useful
TO US.
Near by Springfield there was large
camp termed Camp Yates. containing
twenty thousand, perhaps. II was source
OF annoyance to me. ! could not find any.
body to keep the men subject and see that
they were made clean, properly fed, and
taught the germs of organization. / sent
Grant ou, there. and pretty soon complaint
ceased. Then | sent him on a tour to
various camps through the State. but still
had no command to give him under the
arbitrary system Of giving only those places
who had raised organizations. He went
away at last, to visit Covington. Ky. where
his father lived. did not ike TO see our
Illinois boys enter the service of another
Commonwealth, and l soon found a chance
directly 10 dsplace colonel, or rather to
send Linn to different command, and then
telegraphed to Grant:
'Wiii you take command of the-st reg.
iment? Answer. RICHARD Yates
Grant replied:
Il will. Start Immediately!
~. S. GRANT
lie arrived prompt, and look the posit-
ion. Still, ] had no exalted expectations
OF him. He was not a brisk, nervous, at.
nactive man. His face aud figure were not
so striking that anybody could pick him
out OF n troop, like Saul, and he did not saw
enough tn interest me. Out OF the 2S2
colonels that commissioned thought it
as probable that 2SI OF them would become
famous as Grant.
''He did one thing, However, which /
have since thought was significant of his
future good fense and enterprise. His
regiment was the most denioralized enc
that we had in Illinois 1t had become
insuboriinate and allowed to go to seed.
Grant started the process of breaking it in
by pelling il to march across the State
OF Missouri. and be was the first of our
colonels who had economy and pluck
enough to ave Us the delay and expense Of
railway transportation in this manner. In
this march he stopped Struggling and
orchard robbing by device original, good.
humorcd, and effective. He made every
stragglrr carry fence rail in line. and as
the march itself was tolcrably laboIious the
fence rail did ils work. lie made fighting
Of those men,
After speaking on many other trivial mat.
ters. Governor Yates said IN conclusion:
Hero worshippers will be disappointed
in Grant. don't take il TO be any siolid.
ness OF mine that failed to perceive genius
IN him. Nobody else did. His genius is
not ostenta. Gus or dramatic. Ii is the
genius OF accomplishment that be has.
When his work is done there il is, done:
and there is the man. except for the work,
ordinary as before. don't make M for
this error Of perception by visiting the
General twice as much now as before.
But in the light OF bis achievements / feel
the same confidence and satisfaction in him
that ali the people feel The Democrats
feel it too. lie has no enemies IN our
State but political ones. aud one or two
ones. like McClrrnand. We will
elect him with case"