William W. Belknap

William W. Belknap, born on September twenty-second, eighteen twenty-nine, was a multifaceted individual who made significant contributions as a military officer, lawyer, and politician. A native of New York, he graduated from the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University, in eighteen forty-eight. After studying law with a Georgetown attorney, he passed the bar in eighteen fifty-one and moved to Iowa, where he practiced law alongside Ralph P. Lowe.

With the onset of the American Civil War in eighteen sixty-one, Belknap joined the Union Army, quickly establishing himself as a natural leader and recruiter. He began his military career as a captain in the Iowa Home Guard and was later commissioned as a major in the 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His service included notable battles such as Shiloh, where he sustained injuries, and Corinth. By the war's conclusion, he had risen to the rank of brigadier general and received a brevet promotion to major general of volunteers.

After the war, Belknap declined a regular Army commission and was appointed Iowa's Collector of Internal Revenue by President Andrew Johnson, serving with distinction for four years. In eighteen sixty-nine, he was appointed Secretary of War by President Ulysses S. Grant. During his tenure, he initiated the collection of portraits of previous secretaries to honor the United States Centennial and was involved in significant events, including the aid for victims of the Chicago Fire.

Belknap's time in office was not without controversy. He faced an investigation by Congress in eighteen seventy-one for his involvement in the sale of arms to France during the Franco-Prussian War. His administration also played a role in the Reconstruction era, working to implement changes in the former Confederacy while protecting freedmen. However, his career took a downturn with the trader post scandal at Fort Sill, leading to his impeachment in eighteen seventy-six. Although acquitted by the Senate, his reputation was marred by allegations of personal corruption.

Following his impeachment, Belknap returned to practicing law in Washington, D.C., remaining active in the community until his death from a heart attack in eighteen ninety. Despite his flaws, he was remembered as a talented lawyer and military officer, with his heroic service during the Civil War often overshadowed by his later controversies.