Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-10-19
The New Secretary of War.

The Chicago Republican has the
following special from Washington
IN relation TO General Belknap, the
new Secretary of War:
The appointment, made early this
morning, of General William w. Bel
KNAPP, of Keokuk, Iowa, to succeed
General Rawlins, as Secretary of
War, was received here with aston
ishment and disfavor, not only
among army officers, but by all who
have expressed opinions concerning
1t. lie is even more obscure than
Borle, Hoar and Robson were, and
many prominent Western men say
he was never known outside of his
division in the army. He entered
! the military service early in the war
as Major Of The Fifteenth Regiment
Iowa Volunteers, and gradually rose
to be Major General, commanding
division in the Seventeenth Army
Corps. He served on General
McPherson's staff, and also on the
staff of Gen. Sherman. The latter
speaks Of him in the most praise
worthy terms says he is brilliant,
careful. iudicious and cultivated Off
Ger, of excellent education and advan-
tages, and predicts that he will be a
most faithful, popular and efficient
Secretary. His appointment is
largely, if not wholly, due to Gen.
Sherman, who has had the manage
ment Of the affair, although the
President is warmly attached to Gen.
Belknap and has the strongest con-
fidence in his abilities. He was pro-
noted above his seniors again ana
again for his Drawer and efficiency,
and when the war ended he was
rendered 3 high position in the regu-
lar army. This he declined on ac-
count of his desire to resume his pro-
fession, the practice Of the law, which
he has since followed in Keokuk.
His father was q regular officer of
high rank several years ago, Gen
Sherman states that the new Secre-
tary is thirty-eight years of age,
light complexion, and Of tall and
commanding figure. For some time
be has been Collector Of Internal
Rev enue for the frat Iowa district,
and the Bureau have pronounced
him one of the very best officers in
the revenue service. He was we'll
known and appreciated by his old
division of the army, and was select
ed by the Society of the Army of the
Tennessee to deliver the Grafton at
its meeting in Chicago on the 18th
of December, 1868 In that Grafton,
after abiding to Gen. Grant in the
most complimentary manner, he
spoke as follows in reference to Gen
Rawlins, his old comrade-in-arms.
and whom be now succeeds as Secre-
tary Of War: ave miss tonight
that noble soldier who, from first to
last, in depression and in victory,
stood by his honored chief, and from
the lips of every one of US, as we
| find he is not here, comes the earnest
expression which tells the sentiment
of all the soldier hearts throughout
the land. Long live John A. Raw
Inns"
The subject of the appointment of
War Secretary has been under con-
sideration by the President for some
time. He desired to select West
ern man. The appointment of Gen.
Belknap was decided upon on Friday
last, and Gen. Sherman was request
ed to communicate with him upon
+, the subject, which he did at once by
mail. Gen. Belknap received the
news with the utmost astonishmerft,
and replied that if the President
considered him fitted for the place.
he would accept the appointment.