Augustus Belknap was born in Newburg, New York. He was 5'10" tall, with high forehead, blue eyes, brown hair, and according to his passport applicatoin, a large mouth. Educated at private military schools, he worked in the hardware business from 1856 until the beginning of the Civil War. On April 19, 1861, he enlisted as a private, mustered into the 7th Regiment, and mustered out after his unit's 30 day activation.
After re-enlisting at Camp Graham, Washington D.C., as a private on December 1, 1861, he mustered immediately into the 67th New York, also known as the 1st Long Island Regiment. Belknap was wounded at the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia (May 31 - June 1, 1862), when his regiment saw most of its officers killed or wounded. He also saw action at the Battle of Seven Pines and Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on July 1, 1862, effective upon his transfer to Company I, and transfered back to Company E on December 31, 1862. Subsequently, he was promoted to Captain on January 24, 1863, and was discharged on February 6, 1863, his application for an invalid pension was granted, cetificate 51,992.
Returning to the hardware business, he became a junior partner in the firm of William S. Dodge and Company. In 1877, he moved to San Antonio, Texas, where he was the President and head of operations of the city's streetcar business. Active in that city's civic and cultural life, he was the head of the San Antonio Opera House Company and the San Antonio Fair Association. Involved in local politics, Belknap was an alderman from 1883-1887, then ran unsuccessfully as the Republican candidate for Congress. In 1884, he founded the Belknap Rifles, a militia company that won more honors in drill competition than any other unit in America. He died from ulceration of the bowels while visiting Santa Barbara, California. Julia R. Belknap, his widow who is intered with him, applied for a pension in 1909 which was granted under certificate 697,915.
Augustus Belknap is buried in Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY (Section 48, Lot 6144)
