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William Worth Belknap (September 22, 1829 – October 12, 1890) was a United States Army Major General, government administrator in Iowa, and United States Secretary of War. Although Belknap served with distinction in the Civil War, his tenure as President Grant's Secretary of War was controversial, for having indirectly sold weapons to France and for accepting illicit kickbacks in exchange for making a tradership appointment. The latter led to his resignation, impeachment by the House, and trial in the Senate during the summer of 1876. Belknap, a native of New York, graduated from Princeton college in 1848, studied law at Georgetown University, and passed the bar in 1851. Belknap moved to Iowa and started a law practice and partnership. Belknap entered politics as a Democrat and was elected Representative in Iowa legislature in 1857. When the Civil War broke out in spring 1861, Belknap joined Union Army and was eventually promoted Brevet Maj. General in 1865 for his gallantry during Maj. Gen. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign earlier in 1864. In hand-to-hand combat at Atlanta, Belknap crossed an entrenchment, captured the Confederate commander, and physically dragged him over to the Union side. Belknap was appointed Iowa Collector of Internal Revenue by President Andrew Johnson and served four years. In 1869, President Grant appointed Belknap Secretary of War. As secretary, Belknap requisitioned portrait paintings by various artists for previous Secretaries of War to be displayed in honor of the United States Centennial. He also aided Chicago Fire victims in 1871 and pardoned James Webster Smith, America's first African American cadet at West Point. During the Reconstruction Era, Belknap's War Department and the U.S. military worked under supervision of President Ulysses S. Grant and the U.S. Attorney General's office to vigorously enforce the mandates of this policy upon the defeated South. In 1875, Belknap and President Grant secretly agreed to remove troops from the Black Hills after gold was discovered, in order to start an Indian War after Sioux Indians refused to sell their lands. Belknap was the only former Cabinet secretary ever to have been impeached by the House of Representatives. A Congressional investigation in 1876 revealed that Belknap had received kickback payments in return for a lucrative contract. Starting in 1870, having authority by Congress to appoint trader ships, Belknap took graft money to support his wives and live a lavish lifestyle in Washington D.C. Belknap resigned his position as Secretary of War shortly before being impeached by the House. President Grant had accepted his resignation before the House voted on Belknap's impeachment, later that same day. Belknap was tried in the Senate, but was acquitted when the vote for conviction failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority. A significant number of Senators believed that the Senate did not have jurisdiction to put a private citizen on trial. Belknap, with his reputation damaged, returned to his law practice until his death in 1890. Historically Belknap is noted for being a man of virtues and flaws. He was noted for his bravery during the Civil War, but while Secretary of War he undermined the military careers of William T. Sherman and Oliver Otis Howard. Belknap and his wives were supported by graft to live a lavish lifestyle in Washington D.C. at the expense of soldiers and Indians. However, Belknap was noted for his preservation of Mathew Brady's photographic history of the American Civil War and for starting the weather bureau. ==Early life and career== Belknap was born on September 22, 1829 in Newburgh, New York to career soldier William G. Belknap, who had fought with distinction in the War of 1812 and the Mexican American War.〔New York Times (October 14, 1890), ''Belknap's Sudden Death''〕 His mother was Anne Clark Belknap.〔Dictionary of American Biography (1936), ''William Worth Belknap''〕 In 1848, Belknap graduated from Princeton University.〔 After graduation Belknap studied law at Georgetown University.〔 In 1851, he was admitted to the bar, moved to Keokuk, Iowa, and entered into a law partnership with Ralph B. Low.〔 He served in the Iowa House of Representatives as a Democrat for a single term from 1857 to 1858.〔〔(Iowa General Assembly-William Worth Belknap )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William W. Belknap」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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