Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-10-29
Sketch of Gen. Belknap, the new Sec
retary of War.


Maior-General William M. Belknap, the
new Secretary of War, is native of the
CITY OF Hudson, N. Y. He is 38 years of
age, possesses fine personal appearance,
and q constitution that gives evidence of
man who can endure the greatest amount
of mental and physical labor without ia
tigue His father was Brigadier-General
Belknap who, in the war of 1912, entered
the army as a volunteer, and was soon pro-
NOTED from the ranks for good conduct.
He was wounded severely at the battle OF
Fort Erie, and was one of the few OIL
GERS, created by the exigencies OF
the war, who was retained In SER
vice after peace was declared. After
serving short time at West Point as in
structor of infantry tactics, he expressed
desire for active service, and from that time
1819) to the year of his death Q85D he
was more constantly on duty than probably
auy officer of the regular army. For good
conduct in the Florida war, he was bre-
vetted Lieutenant Colonel. At the battle
of Palo Alto and Resaca de In Palma on
the 9Th and 9th of May, 1916, he was prac-
tically the second in command under Gen.
| TAYLOR, and won for himself the character
of o gallant soldier by his meritorious con-
duct He remained with Gen. Taylor, and
was brevetted Brigadier General for gal
liant conduct at the battle of Buena Vista.
The present Secretary OF War possesses
many of the qualities of his distinguished
father. He has the same taste for business
and love of discipline. Dependent almost
entirely through life upon himself, his
father being constantly on the frontiers,
with no income save the pay of an officer
of the army, young Belknap met his future
with cheerfulness, became a protector to
his fathers family, and educated himself
W thout taxing the limited income that was
needed for the support of those toward
whom he has throughout his life been sing
ularly devoted
On the death of his father, Gen. Belknap
moved from Hudson with his fathers family
and sought q home in the then verynew State
of Iowa. With the resolute spirit of pion-
eer dependent upon his own exertions for
success, he established a home and COM
menced the practice of law. He was very
rapidly gaining the respect of the commu-
nifty in which he lived, and began to be
looked up to as future leader in the enter
prises, both financial and political, which
affected the interests OF his adopted state.
It was then, while circumstances were pre-
pairing brilliant future, that the rebellion
broke out. The firing on Fort Sumter
summoned him to the field, and like General
Rawlins, and other heroes of the west, he
promptly abandoned his civil pursuits, and
early in 1861 entered the army as Major of
the 18th Iowa volunteers. He commanded
the regiment in the battle of Shiloh, and
for galantry in that engagement was pro-
NOTED to Lieut.. Colonel. and made Provost.
Marshal of the Fifteenth Army corps, He
afterwards reioined his regiment as Colonel
and took part in the attack on Vicksburg.
After the fall of that stronghold he was
brevetted Brigadier-General, and led the
Iowa Brigade in the Atlantic carnpaign.-
He took part in the battle of the 22d of
July, when Gen. Mcpherson was killed,
and was afterward made full Brigadier-
General for gallantry in action. He march
ed to the sea with Gen. Sherman, and
when the armv reached Savannah he was
brevetted Major General He commanded
a division in the Fifteenth Army Corps in
the campaign of the Carolinas, fought his
last fight at Bentonville. When the war
ended, he was offered the position
of Brigadier- General in the Regular
Army, but refused. and in 1866,
was made Collector of Internal Revenue
for the First Iowa District. AS Collector
of the Internal Revenue he instituted re-
forms in his district, on account of which
received the highest commentators of the
department. He was selected to deliver
the annual address at the last reunion of
the army of the Tennessee, where he &C
quilted himself very creditably In his
speech he spoke in the most glowing and
laudatory terms of the President and Gems
Sherman, Logan, Howard and Rawlins. In
the wide field of Secretary of War, his
eminent abilities and unquestioned patriot
ism will no doubt win for him distin-
guished place in history. About year
ago Gen. Belknap passed through this city
on his way to Washington, accompanied
by youthful bride, lady who will add to
the graces of the National Capitol. N T.
Tribune.