General Grant knew them all personally, and said if General Dodge were not connected with the Union Pacific Railroad, with which the Secretary of War must necessarily have large transactions, he would choose him, but as the case stood, and remembering the very excellent speech made by General Belknap at the Chicago reunion of December, 1868, he authorized me to communicate with him to ascertain if he were willing to come to Washington as Secretary of War.

General Belknap was then the collector of internal revenue at Keokuk, Iowa.

I telegraphed him and received a prompt and favorable answer.

His name was sent to the Senate, promptly confirmed, and he entered on his duties October 25,1869.

General Belknap surely had at that date as fair a fame as any officer of volunteers of my personal acquaintance.