Sacramento daily record-union., 1891-01-09
iFTER MANI YEARS.
A WAR VETERAN REvIsITs HIS OLD
SACRAMENTO HOME.
Colonel Robb, the Merchant, Councilman
and Warrior-The Friend and
Companion of Grant.

Among the visitors in the city at the
present time are Colonel Thomas P. Robb
and wife, of Santa Cruz. Colonel Robb
was one of the early pioneers of Sacra-
| mento, having come to the coast with Col
| onel Fremont, and established himself in
| business here in 1850, as a member of the
| firm of Payson IL Robb, wholesale mer-
chants. He was a member of the Common
| Council of Sacramento-while General G.
l. Hutchinson was Mayor-and frequently
president at meetings of the Council when
| the Mayor was absent.
He left Sacramento in 1859. and was in
| Illirois when the war broke out Being an
| old personal friend of Ulysses Grant, he
had the honor of introducing that Illus
tious hero to Governor Yates. One of the
historians of Illinois iefers TO this incident.
| General Grant himself often SAID to his
friends that he owed his career to Colonel
Robb.
When General Grant entered upon active
service, he appointed Colonel Robb to a
prominent place on his staff, and the two
old friends were never separated until after
! the last gun had been fired and General
| Lee handed his sword TO Grant at Appo-
matox. AT the time General Grant was
| operating in Georgia a rumor got abroad
| that his command suffered surprise at the
| hands of the enemy because he was under
| the influence OF liquor.
! When The rumor reached Washington
| President Lincoln sent General Halleck
| down to investigate the matter, and if nee
esssry relieve General Grant of his COM
mand. General Hslleck and Colonel Rohb
were old California friends, and Robb
| sought out the Commander-in-C Chief in his
| tent and told him some things about Gen.
| eral Grant. He said he had been constantly
with the latter, and assured GensIal Hal
| leck that the report WAS utterly false. Hal
ieck investigated the matter, and then Told
Colonel Robb that he found the latter had
told him the truth, and General Grant
would not be disturbed.
| After the war, when Grant became Pres.
ideni, he commissioned Colonel Robb to
| go to Georgia and superintend the recon-
struction work in that part of the South,
aud for ten years the Colonel remained al
Savannah. After filling other important
| Government positions. he was delegated
under an Act OF Congress, as Commissioner
| to Mexico to assist in Strengthening out
complications growing out of depredations
| by lawless characters along the border, and
was for five years engaged in this work
Colonel Robb was steadily IN the en-
ploy of the Government up 10 couple of
years ago, when his heart began TO yearp
for California. So he came here and pur-
chased himself a vineyard on one of the
Santa Cruz hills, and there, as Tom Fitch
so eloquehtly expressed it on recent occa-
sion in this city, ION the western rim of
the world he can watch the burning sun
sets caress the drowsy sea-" and dream
away his remaining days i'll peace and
comfort.
When a RECORD UNION reporter met
Colonel Robb yesterday he was on his
way to call on his old friend, ex United
States Senator Newton Booth. He said he
had wandered about the streets in the hope
of finding some familiar face that he had
not seen for thirty one years. but in vain.
1T looks" he said, "as if nearly all the
old-timers have been called away. but
suppose there must be few here yet -
The reporter escorted the Colonel into
the office of T. NJ. Lindley, who WAS here
in '49 and has been ever since While no.
personally acquainted, they recalled many
early day incidents that were familiar to
both, and Mr.. Liudley remembered the
firm of Payson q Robb very well.
Speaking of some one who was in busi-
ness near where the Sixth street NJ Z.
Church new stands, Colonel Robb re-
| marked that be collected large sum of
money from the gamblers here with which
to erect the first Methodist Church built in
the city 1t was located on Seventh street,
between L and NJ. He could not recall the
name of the pastor, but Mr. Lindley said
ii was DR.. Owens
Well said Colonel, while l was sta
toned in Savannah little old gentleman
came up to me one DAY ard threw himself
upon my neck in burst of enthusiasm.
Are you not from Saeramento?' he
asked.
81 formerly lived there Ireplied
Aren't you the man that collected from
the sporting men there most of the money
that built the first Methodist Church /?
~ replied said the Colonel, that had
some recollection of doing something of
the kind
"'Well sir, Pm the man that Dedicated
that church !! cried the stranger, as he
fairly Rugged me-"
Colonel Robb says he intends spending
couple of days in the city. He hopes 10 be
able to find few of the old-timers whom
he used to know when he lived here Him.
self and wife are stopping at the Golden
Eagle Hotel. He is pleasant, agreeable
gentleman, and in his manner shows lit
tie of the old soldier.