The Portland daily press., 1895-07-06
HE DISCOVERED GEN. GRANT.
A Maine Man Who Gave the Great
Commander Lift.

Col. Thomas p. Robb, Native of Bath;
and the Interesting Story He Used to
Relate.
Colonel Thomas Patten Robb, a Cali
fornla pioneer, and distinguished during
the war, has died in that State within a
few days. Col Robb was born in Bath,
Me-, Sept. 10, 1919 Early in the Forties
he went to Illinois and erected the first
residence. house on North Clark street, in
| Chicago He was in the wholesale grocery
business in Chicago in 1949, when the
gold fever broke out. He went to Cali
fornla in 1850 and participated in the
stirring scenes Of those early days
| Before the outbreak of the Civil War
Mr. Robb found himself once more in
Chicago, and he was soon at the Illinois
Capitol His unfinching loyalty was
]well-known, not only among his i'm
/ mediate friends, but to the leading men
i of the State.
The following statement on pages 646-7
4 of the History of Illinois, by John
/ Moses, private secretary of Governor
Yates, throws an interesting light on
i Grants first meeting with the war gov
ernor, and the part Colonel Robb played
in It,
Among those who found their way
to Springfield at this time (early in 1861,
was Captain U. S. Grant, late of the
Col
bringing with him letter of recommen-
dation from Hon. e. B. Washburne.
Major, afterward Colonel Thomas p
Robb of the governors staff, having OBJ
served Grant waiting with other stran-
gers in the governors ante-room, appar-
emily for an interview, and learning from
him that he was DESTROYS of offering his
service to the State, introduced him to
His Excellency. Robb was impressed
with the modest department. of the yisi-
tor, and when the executive
made the routine reply to Grants
offer that he knew of no opening
inst then, that every place was filed, and
appealed to Robb to confirm his state
nent, the latter replied that he believed
generals office, and proposed that Grant
should be given desk there for the time
being.
The governor readily consented and
Grant was accordingly set at work under
| Colonel Mather arranging, filing and
copying papers.
And when the mighty struggle was
over General Grant did not forget his
old friend and companion of the war
time, for he knew that he was worthy of
any office he could give him.
1t was at Grants urgent request that
President johnson appointed Colonel
| Robb United States Treasury and Pur-
chasing Agent for Georgia in 1865, and
in the following year, President Of the
Board of Direct Tax Commissioners. In
1867 he was appointed Postmaster of
Savannah. which Office he filled credita-
bly, until made Collector of the Port in
May 1862
| A northern man at that time naturally
had many enemies in filing an impor-
tant public function in the South; but
Colonel Robb attended conscientiously to
his duty, and triumphed over them all,
destroying some of them with kindness
and treating others with necessary and
well-merited severity. #g s
In 1872 he, in conjunction with Thomas
o. Osborn and Colonel Richard Henry
Savage, of fame in novel writing, formed
the U. S. Commission, appointed by
President Grant under joint resolution
Of Congress, to examine into the border
outrages upon the frontiers of Texas
and Mexico.
Col. Robb returned to California in
1885, where he has lived at his villa, Sea
View, in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Col. Robb, before he died, contributed
to the San Fhancisco Argonaut the story
of his first meeting with Grant The
story follows as Col Rabb told it,
81 shall never forget Grants first meet
ing with the officers of one of the pioneer
volunteer regiments at the barracks in
Springfield, ILL.,
1t was early in the year, 1861 I had
been appointed on Governor Yates staff,
with the rank of major. Springfield was
full OF enthusiastic volunteers waiting
to be organized into regiments.
All was hustle and confusion. The
| executive office was crowded with would
be officers and soldiers Among them
l had noticed small man, attired in
well-worn clothes and SLOUGH hat, sit
ting in a corner of the reception room,
sometimes reading a newspaper, but u.s.
ually watching the crowd and listening
to the conversation going on around him.
In the latter he never took any part, and
the only thing that attracted my atten-
ton to him particularly was his bright,
speaking eye. He came early and stayed
late, saying no word to any one When
ever spirited exchange of ideas or an
argument upon military affairs in the
| room amused him, his eyes would twinkle
| otherwise his face wore an expression of
| calmness, unruffied by any emotion
No one knew who he was, and after
several days had passed without any more
definite demonstration from him as to
| his purpose his presence began to be a