New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-19
SENATOR YATES ON GEN. GRANT

SENATOR YATES ON GEN. GRANT.
The Way the Latter Obtained a Com.
mnnd at the Beginning Of the War.
George A. Townsend to the Cleveland Leader
In pursuit Of information about General
Grant, called on Senator Richard Yates
at the Avenue Hotel last Sunday. He is a
Kentuckian by birth, fifty years old, a blue
eyed man of large, distinguished frame and
head, and pleasant simplicity and sin
cerity of speech, more slow than plausible,
and, as believe the least artful and the
most candid of Senators.
He was a farmers son, and his larger
political life began in 1912, since which
time he has risen steadily, grade by grade,
to the Office of Governor, and at last to the
Senatorship. Lincoln loved him heartily,
and he stood among the highest and best of
war Governors. His labors at Springfield,
in the camps, and at Washington during
those exciting times, when he equipped and
sent to the front two hundred and eighty
two regiments of men, affected his sanguine
temperament, and in the relapse of peace
his nervous system felt the result. The
same was the case with most of the war
Governors: Brough, Hicks, and Andrew
died; Morton is paralyzed; Curtin had to
hasten to Havana and Europe to keep
alive. Governor Yates was instrumental
in the election of Trumbull his colleague,
and ne gave Grant his first volunteer COM
mand.
"Grant," said the Governor, "came
down to Springfield dressed in common
working clothes. He looked very much as
he does now, ordinary, taciturn, unpre-
tentious. When he presented himself to
me he said;
."'Governor, the United State cd &c ated
me. want to be of use to her Low that
she is in danger
Yates asked him what he wished to
have.
"Any place where can be useful, " said
Grant; ''It don't matter much"
The system at that time was to commits
sion only officers who had raised compa-
MES. Yates, hurried and Overrun, told
Grant to look in again. After few days
Grant whose money had nearly run out
paying hotel board, dropped in again, hat
in hand, and asked Yates if anything had
turned up.
4Can you write military orders "asked
the Governor.
yes" .--
"Wel, I'll give you desk in my office,
and you'll find plenty to do"
"There," said Yates, Grant worked
away satisfactorily. Though my hands
were full and everything was more or less
disorganized, had no time to observe him,
and he was never forward to speak. After
ward put him in the Adjutant Generals
Office, and although we did not know it
particularly at 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. l
had too much to do to keep personal watch
over every officer in the State, and did not
look out particularly for the coming man.
But Grant made no mistakes, and / saw
that his West Point knowledge was useful
to us.
Near by Springfield there was q large
camp termed Yates, containing twenty thou-
sand, perhaps, 1t was source OF annoy
ance to nae. could not find anybody to
keep the men subject and see that they
were made clean, properly fed, and taught
the germs Of organization. / sent Grant
out there. and pretty soon complaint
ceased. Then / sent him on tour to va
e rious 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, Ken
lucky, where his father lived. / did not
like TO see our Illinois boys enter the ser
vice of another commonwealth, and l found
achance directly to dispIace Colonel, or
rather to send him to different command,
and then l photographed to Grant.
."'Will you take command of the til
regiment? Answer. RICHARD YATES.
AGrant replied: r
ST Will Start Immediately!
- ss "'U. s, GRANT.
aHe arrived promptly and took the PEST
ton. Still, | had no exalted expectations
OF him. he was not brisk, nervous, at
tractive man. His face and figure were
not 90 striking that anybody could pick
him out Of a troop, like Saul, as be did not
say enough to interest me. Out Of 2s2
Colonies that commissioned l thought ii
as probable that 2S1 Of them would be-
come famous as Grant.
He did one thing, however, which
havo since thought was significant Of his
future good sense and enterprise. His
regiment was the most dem0ralized one
that We had n Illinois. Il had become in
subordinate, and allowed to 20 to seed.
Grant started the process Of breaking it 10
By compelling Il 10 march across the State
OF Missouri, and be was the frst Of our
Colonies who had economy and pluck
enough 70 save as the delay and expense
Of railway transportation Ii this manner.
IL bis march be stopped struggling and
orchard robbing by 8 device original good
humaEad and eIeciiye. He made sverV
stla1gleI carry . osncssEail in line, and g
tie maloa hseIf vas 1olerably laboIioas.
tho lgneelaiI did is work. He made Z
a1e Aghlins regiment 81 those men,.
Aiies aAssklng on many other trivial
14ti31. Governor Yates said IN conclu-
aIen;
" Uqfzh'peTs viii be disappointed
n "renk 4opt trks & % be any stslid-
81 mine at iIed e psrcelrs eeains
Il NN Nobody a|ae dld HIS gasius Is
n.s qfNHape ROT dramatic. II Il Ire
ee1lu1 gI accomplishment that he has.
When ll york = d1ht, lhors Il d. done,
and t1dre q t1e nan, except for he worl