William W. Belknap
Encyclopedia
William Worth Belknap was a United States Army
general, government administrator, and United States Secretary of War
. He was the only Cabinet secretary
ever to have been impeached
by the United States House of Representatives
.
, Belknap graduated from Princeton University
in 1848 and studied law at Georgetown University
. In 1851, he was admitted to the bar, moved to Keokuk, Iowa
, and entered the practice of law. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives
for a single term from 1857 to 1858.
In 1861, he was commissioned major in the 15th Iowa Infantry and participated in the Civil War
battles of Shiloh
, Corinth and Vicksburg
. In 1864, Belknap was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the 4th Division, XVII Corps, and participated in General Sherman
's operations in Georgia and the Carolinas. He was mustered out of service as a brevet major general in 1865.
He married and lost his first two wives, Cora LeRoy and Carrie Tomlinson, and married Mrs. John Bower, his second wife's sister. From 1865 to 1869, Belknap was collector of internal revenue in Iowa
.
under President
Ulysses S. Grant
.
Belknap recommended that Congress act to fix May 1 as the start of the fiscal year, inaugurated the preparation of historical reports by post commanders, and proposed actions to preserve Yellowstone National Park
. In July 1876, Belknap visited Fort Ellis
, Montana Territory
, and proceeded on a two week journey through Yellowstone retracing the route of the 1870 Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition
. He was guided during this trip by Lt Gustavus C. Doane who was stationed at Fort Ellis and had been the leader of the military escort of the Washburn Party.
He was impeached
by a unanimous vote of the House of Representatives shortly after he had resigned for allegedly having received money in return for post tradership appointments. Speaker of the House Michael C. Kerr
wrote to the Senate
that Belknap resigned "with intent to evade the proceedings of impeachment against him." Belknap was tried by the Senate, which ruled by a vote of 37-29 that it had jurisdiction despite the resignation. The vote on conviction fell short of the two-thirds required, with 35 to 37 votes for each article and 25 votes against each. Two of those voting for conviction, 22 of those voting for acquittal, and one who declined to vote, said they felt that the Senate did not have jurisdiction due to Belknap's resignation.
Belknap moved to Philadelphia, then returned to Washington to resume the practice of law. He died from a heart attack
in Washington, D.C.
, on October 13, 1890.
on October 16, 1890. The ceremony was conducted by St. John's Episcopal Church. The site features a granite gravestone with a bronze relief designed by sculptor Carl Rohl-Smith
. The bronze relief (2 ft. x 2 ft.) bust shows wearing a dress uniform with his hair parted on the proper right side as well as a long, full beard. The relief is placed on the front of a granite base (6 ft. x 5 ft. x 5 ft.). This piece was surveyed by the Smithsonian's
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
survey in 1995 and it's condition was described as treatment being needed. The relief is signed by the artist: C.R. 1897.
A plaque on the front of the granite base is inscribed:
Belknap was the father of Hugh R. Belknap
, U.S. Representative
from Illinois
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
general, government administrator, and United States Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
. He was the only Cabinet secretary
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
ever to have been impeached
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
by the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Birth and early years
Born in Newburgh, New York to career soldier William G. BelknapWilliam G. Belknap
William Goldsmith Belknap , a career soldier in the United States Army, was brevetted three times for service in three wars, served as brigadier general, and served as commandant at Fort Gibson, Fort Washita, and Fort Smith.Belknap was born in Newburgh, New York to Samuel Belknap and Mary Goldsmith...
, Belknap graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1848 and studied law at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. In 1851, he was admitted to the bar, moved to Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, and entered the practice of law. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
for a single term from 1857 to 1858.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
battles of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, Corinth and Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
. In 1864, Belknap was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the 4th Division, XVII Corps, and participated in General Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's operations in Georgia and the Carolinas. He was mustered out of service as a brevet major general in 1865.
He married and lost his first two wives, Cora LeRoy and Carrie Tomlinson, and married Mrs. John Bower, his second wife's sister. From 1865 to 1869, Belknap was collector of internal revenue in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Later career
From October 25, 1869, to March 2, 1876, Belknap served as Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
under President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
.
Belknap recommended that Congress act to fix May 1 as the start of the fiscal year, inaugurated the preparation of historical reports by post commanders, and proposed actions to preserve Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
. In July 1876, Belknap visited Fort Ellis
Fort Ellis
Fort Ellis was an early United States Army outpost established August 27, 1867 to the eastern side of present-day Bozeman, Montana. The fort was established to protect and support settlers moving into the Gallatin Valley. The post was named for Civil War Colonel Augustus van Horne Ellis who was...
, Montana Territory
Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 28, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Montana.-History:...
, and proceeded on a two week journey through Yellowstone retracing the route of the 1870 Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition
Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition
The Washburn Expedition of 1870, explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that a couple years later became Yellowstone National Park. Led by Henry Washburn, Nathaniel P. Langford and under U.S. Army escort led by Lt. Gustavus C...
. He was guided during this trip by Lt Gustavus C. Doane who was stationed at Fort Ellis and had been the leader of the military escort of the Washburn Party.
He was impeached
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
by a unanimous vote of the House of Representatives shortly after he had resigned for allegedly having received money in return for post tradership appointments. Speaker of the House Michael C. Kerr
Michael C. Kerr
Michael Crawford Kerr was an American legislator.He was born at Titusville, Pennsylvania and educated at the Erie Academy. He graduated from Louisville University's Law School in 1851...
wrote to the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
that Belknap resigned "with intent to evade the proceedings of impeachment against him." Belknap was tried by the Senate, which ruled by a vote of 37-29 that it had jurisdiction despite the resignation. The vote on conviction fell short of the two-thirds required, with 35 to 37 votes for each article and 25 votes against each. Two of those voting for conviction, 22 of those voting for acquittal, and one who declined to vote, said they felt that the Senate did not have jurisdiction due to Belknap's resignation.
Belknap moved to Philadelphia, then returned to Washington to resume the practice of law. He died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on October 13, 1890.
Legacy
Belknap was buried in Section 1 at Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
on October 16, 1890. The ceremony was conducted by St. John's Episcopal Church. The site features a granite gravestone with a bronze relief designed by sculptor Carl Rohl-Smith
Carl Rohl-Smith
Carl Rohl-Smith Danish-American sculptor, born in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he studied at the Academy of Copenhagen from 1865 to 1870. There after he traveled and studied in Berlin Italy and Vienna. By 1886 he had moved to the United States where he worked in New York, St. Louis and Chicago...
. The bronze relief (2 ft. x 2 ft.) bust shows wearing a dress uniform with his hair parted on the proper right side as well as a long, full beard. The relief is placed on the front of a granite base (6 ft. x 5 ft. x 5 ft.). This piece was surveyed by the Smithsonian's
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....
survey in 1995 and it's condition was described as treatment being needed. The relief is signed by the artist: C.R. 1897.
A plaque on the front of the granite base is inscribed:
- WILLIAM WORTH BELKNAP
- BORN 1829 - DIED 1890
- COLONEL 15TH IOWA VOL. INFANTRY
- BRIGADIER & BREVET MAJOR GENERAL U.S.VOLS.
- SECRETARY OF WAR 1869-1876
- ERECTED BY HIS COMRADES OF THE
- CROCKER IOWA BRIGADE
- 11TH, 13TH, 15TH AND 16TH IOWA VOL. INFANTRY
- ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.
- COMPANIONS OF THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE
- LOYAL LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES
- AND OTHER FRIENDS
Belknap was the father of Hugh R. Belknap
Hugh R. Belknap
Hugh Reid Belknap was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Keokuk, Iowa, Belknap attended the public schools, Adams Academy, Quincy, Massachusetts, and Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts. At the age of eighteen he entered the service of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co...
, U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- Gen. William Worth Belknap HouseGen. William Worth Belknap HouseThe Gen. William Worth Belknap House in Keokuk, Iowa, United States was built in 1854. The Greek Revival style house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. William Worth Belknap moved to Keokuk from upstate New York in the 1853. He was elected to the Iowa House of...
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in IowaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, IowaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Iowa.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Lee County, Iowa, United States...
External links
- Army Belknap biography in Secretaries of War and Secretaries of the Army, United States Army Center of Military History..