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    William Goldsmith Belknap

    Birth: 9-7-1794

    Death: 11-10-1851

Biography

General William Goldsmith Belknap died in a military vehicle enroute from Fort Belknap, Young County, Texas to Fort Washita. He was buried temporarily according to the Fort Belknap Post returns. Later, his son removed the remains to this final resting place.

AMERICAN OBITUARY.
1851.
Nov. 10.—Near Fort Washita, in the Cherokee Nation, Brevet Brigadier-General William G. Belknap, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 5th Infantry, aged 56. He was born in the town of Newburg, New York, on the 14th of September, 1794, and on the 5th of April, 1813, was commissioned as 3d Lieutenant of the 23d Infantry, and distinguished himself in the attack of the British on Fort Erie, in August, 1814. Upon the reduction of the army after the war, he was retained as Lieutenant in the 3d Infantry, and was made a Captain in 1822. He was brevetted 1st of February, 1832, Major, for ten years’ faithful service in this grade. In January, 1842, he was promoted Major of the 8th Infantry, and on the 15th of March, 1842, was brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel for gallant services during the Florida war. He was with General Taylor on the Rio Grande, and was brevetted Colonel for his services in the battles of the 8th and 9th of May, 1846, and for his gallantry in these battles his fellow-townsmen of Newburg presented him with a sword. He continued with General Taylor’s column, and was brevetted Brigadier-General for bravery in the battle of Buena Vista. From December, 1848, to May, 1851, he was in command of Fort Gibson in the Cherokee Nation, and devoted himself greatly to secure the welfare of the Cherokees. In May, 1851, he was ordered into Upper Texas to keep the Indian tribes within their lines, and while thus engaged contracted the disease which caused his death.
—The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge, for the Year 1853 (Boston: Little, Brown and Co.), 1853, p. 332.

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Biography and Citation Information:
Biography: 
General William Goldsmith Belknap died in a military vehicle enroute from Fort Belknap, Young County, Texas to Fort Washita. He was buried temporarily according to the Fort Belknap Post returns. Later, his son removed the remains to this final resting place. AMERICAN OBITUARY. 1851. Nov. 10.—Near Fort Washita, in the Cherokee Nation, Brevet Brigadier-General William G. Belknap, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 5th Infantry, aged 56. He was born in the town of Newburg, New York, on the 14th of September, 1794, and on the 5th of April, 1813, was commissioned as 3d Lieutenant of the 23d Infantry, and distinguished himself in the attack of the British on Fort Erie, in August, 1814. Upon the reduction of the army after the war, he was retained as Lieutenant in the 3d Infantry, and was made a Captain in 1822. He was brevetted 1st of February, 1832, Major, for ten years’ faithful service in this grade. In January, 1842, he was promoted Major of the 8th Infantry, and on the 15th of March, 1842, was brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel for gallant services during the Florida war. He was with General Taylor on the Rio Grande, and was brevetted Colonel for his services in the battles of the 8th and 9th of May, 1846, and for his gallantry in these battles his fellow-townsmen of Newburg presented him with a sword. He continued with General Taylor’s column, and was brevetted Brigadier-General for bravery in the battle of Buena Vista. From December, 1848, to May, 1851, he was in command of Fort Gibson in the Cherokee Nation, and devoted himself greatly to secure the welfare of the Cherokees. In May, 1851, he was ordered into Upper Texas to keep the Indian tribes within their lines, and while thus engaged contracted the disease which caused his death. —The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge, for the Year 1853 (Boston: Little, Brown and Co.), 1853, p. 332.
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