Gen. William W. Belknap

BELKNAP, WILLIAM W., GEN., is the son of Gen. William G. Belknap, of the United States Army, who distinguished himself in the war of 1812, in the Florida war, and at Resaca and Buena Vista in the war with Mexico, and died in the service in 1851, in Texas. He was born at Newburg, New York, in 1829, and, after attending the high school and academy there, and pursuing his studies in Florida, where his father was stationed, he entered Princeton College in 1846, and graduated in 1848. Alter studying law in Georgetown, D. C, and being admitted to the bar in Washington City, he went, in July, 1851, to Keokuk and commenced the practice of the law, shortly afterward forming a partnership with Hon. R. P. Lowe (who was soon after elected District Judge, and later Governor and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State), and brought his mother and two sisters there in 1852. He was a member of the Legislature from Lee County, in 1857, as a representative of the Democratic party; but, being a strong Douglas Democrat, and not uniting with the members of that party who favored what was known as the Lecompton Constitution of Kansas, which was an important and exciting question in the politics of the party, he joined the Republican party. He was appointed Major of the 15th Iowa Vols., by Gov. Kirkwood, in 1861, of which regiment Gen. Hugh T. Reid was Colonel, and participated in that capacity in the battle of Shiloh, where he was wounded and had his horse shot under him. He remained in the army until the close of the war, rising gradually through the grades of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel; was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers, by President Lincoln, in 1864, on the recommendation of his Commanders, Gens. Blair and Sherman, and was brevetted Major General in 1865 for gallant and meritorious services during the war. Having, as Brigadier General of Volunteers commanded the 3d Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps ( Blair's) of the army of the Tennessee ( McPherson'.s); he was in numerous battles; among them, Shiloh, Corinth, the several battles near Atlanta, and the battle of Bentonville, N. C. He was engaged in the siege of Corinth, Vicksburg and of Atlanta, and commanded his Brigade (composed of the 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th Iowa Regiments), under Sherman in his march from Atlanta to the sea; thence to Goldsboro', Raleigh and Washington. He was repeatedly mentioned for coolness and courage, and in the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, he took prisoner Col. Lampley, 45th Alabama, by pulling him over the works by his coat collar. At the close of the war, he was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue for the 1st District of Iowa. On the accession of Gen. Grant to the Presidency, he was offered the choice of either one of three important public positions in another State, and one at Washington, which he declined, and remained Collector of the 1st District (comprising the counties of Lee, Des Moines, Louisa, Washington, Jefferson, Van Buren, Henry, and Davis), until October, 1869, when he was appointed Secretary of War by President Grant, and his many friends point to the records of that office for the proof of his faithful labors for a term of over six years. Prior to this appointment, he was selected as the orator for the Army of the Tennessee at the re-union of all the Western armies, at Crosby's Opera House, Chicago, December, 1868, and delivered the address at the great Re-union of Iowa soldiers, at Des Moines, in September, 1870. After his resignation of the office of Secretary of War, articles of impeachment were presented against him, and, after a protracted and thorough trial, he was acquitted by the Senate. Gen. Belknap married, in 1854, Miss LeRoy, of Keokuk, the sister of Mrs. Hugh T. Reid, and their son, Hugh Reid Belknap, is now a student at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. His present wife, whom he married in 1873, formerly Miss Tomlinson, of Harrodsburg, Ky., is the daughter of the late Dr. John Tomlinson, an able and famous physician of that locality. They have one child, a daughter, Alice Belknap. Since leaving the War Department Gen. Belknap has been engaged in legal practice; his residence is Keokuk, but his business before the Departments at Washington, a large part of which results from his employment as attorney by several Railroad Corporations, requires him to be absent from home during a portion of each year.

SOURCE:  The History of Lee County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, Illiniois, 1879, p. 683-4

Ensign H. King

Ensign H. King was the second Adjutant. He enlisted as a private at Osceola, Clarke county, Iowa in 1861, and was First Sergeant of Company I, was in the battle of Shiloh, and his Company officers being all killed or wounded, he commanded the Company on Monday, April 7, 1862. He, with Sergeant McArthur of Company K, joined about ninety men under the command of Major Belknap, and fought on the left of Gross’s Brigade of Nelson’s Division on the evening of Sunday, April 6. They were placed there by order of General Grant to Major Belknap personally, Major Belknap having reported to General Grant, and seeing him then for the first time. He Became a Second Lieutenant on July 4, 1862, vice Hamilton Killed at Shiloh, and became First Lieutenant on December 10, 1862, and on April 22, 1863, he was made First Lieutenant and Adjutant. He was in all the campaigns in which the Regiment took part. He especially distinguished himself during the battles near Atlanta in 1864. In the charge of July 21, on the right of the Third Division, which enabled that division of the 17th Corps to capture and hold “Bald Hill,” which could not have been captured had not the Iowa Brigade made this charge, the 15th Iowa, after its work was done, fell back into the earth works. It was soon discovered that Lieutenant-Colonel Hedrick, with three Companies of the Regiment, had not fallen back and were still under a heavy fire, and within close proximity to the enemy’s works. Colonel Belknap ordered Adjutant King to return and notify them. It was a hazardous and dangerous duty, but he did not flinch. Up he went through severe firing. He says himself: “It was about the severest trial I had during the war.” But he did it well. On the next day when Lampley, the Colonel of the 45th Alabama, was captured, King brought in the youngster, Lee, who had so bravely stood by his Commander. Lampley died soon after.

Lee now lives in Clayton, Alabama, thoroughly reconstructed.

On October 27, 1864, Adjutant King was appointed Chaplain and he was as faithful and devoted in that branch of the service as in the other. As Adjutant he was prompt, accurate and reliable; he continued in the work, most intelligently of the Adjutant Pomutz on the Regimental Record, and the service he did will live to do him honor always. He was, as all truly religious men are, thoroughly brave and unostentatious, but still aware of his own rights and prompt to maintain them. Both as a soldier of the country and soldier of the cross, he came up to the mark, and the men of the 15th Iowa will always have a pleasant word for King. He now is a Minister of the Gospel, connected with the Methodist Church and resides at Napa City California.

SOURCE: William W. Belknap, History of the Fifteenth Regiment Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry, p. 39-41