George M. Robeson
Encyclopedia
George Maxwell Robeson (March 16, 1829 – September 27, 1897) was an American
Republican Party
politician
and lawyer
from New Jersey
who served as a Union army
general during the American Civil War
, and then as Secretary of the Navy
during the Grant
administration. He served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1879 to 1883. Robeson was a nephew of George C. Maxwell
and the first cousin of John Patterson Bryan Maxwell
, both of whom also represented New Jersey in the House of Representatives.
. He studied law and became public prosecutor for Camden County
.
During the Civil War, he was appointed a brigadier general
in the New Jersey Militia by the Governor of New Jersey
, and also served as the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1867-1869.
Robeson was appointed Secretary of Navy by President Ulysses S. Grant, replacing Adolph E. Borie
who served only a few months. He held the position until the end of Grant's second term, serving from June 26, 1869 until March 4, 1877. Robeson, while Secretary of Navy, allegedly took $320,000 in bribes from a grain company to pay for a new vacation home. Robeson was also alleged by a House committee to have squandered $15,000,000 of missing Naval construction funds to purchase real estate in Washington D.C. Robeson was so adept at hiding his financial tracks that he was known as "the cuttle fish" of the Navy.
After leaving the Navy Department
Robeson returned to his law practice in Camden County. From March 4, 1879-March 3, 1883, he served as U.S. Congressman from New Jersey, representing New Jersey's 1st congressional district
, then again returned to his practice and worked there until his death at age 68 in 1897. Robeson is buried at Belvidere Cemetery
in Belvidere, New Jersey
.
, saved the honor of the U.S. Navy.
On the other hand, after the bloodshed and horrors of the Civil War, there was a general desire to reduce military expenditure whenever possible.
The army too was reduced in size, being just large enough for the purposes of assisting in the Reconstruction programs of the southern states and the patrolling and controlling of the Indians in the west. Robeson's policies may very well have been dictated by these movements of the public and Congress. If so he may have lacked real spirit and enterprise, but he was simply doing what was expected of him.
He did help push the "Polaris" Expedition of Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall
in 1870, that went to Northern Greenland, and made the then record of furthest North. Although the expedition ended in disarray after the mysterious death of Hall in 1871, it did have some accomplishments.
One was to honor the Secretary with the naming of Robeson Channel
for him.
Also, during the events of 1873 resulting from the Virginius Affair
, Robeson did his best to get the navy ready if needed to confront the Kingdom of Spain
around Cuba
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
who served as a Union army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and then as Secretary of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
during the Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
administration. He served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1879 to 1883. Robeson was a nephew of George C. Maxwell
George C. Maxwell
George Clifford Maxwell was a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, father of John Patterson Bryan Maxwell. Maxwell's nephew George M. Robeson was United States Secretary of the Navy and also served in Congress.-Biography:...
and the first cousin of John Patterson Bryan Maxwell
John Patterson Bryan Maxwell
John Patterson Bryan Maxwell was an American Whig Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1837–1839 and 1841-1843. He was the son of George C. Maxwell and the first cousin of George M...
, both of whom also represented New Jersey in the House of Representatives.
Biography
Robeson was born in Oxford Furnace, New JerseyOxford Furnace, New Jersey
Oxford Furnace was a furnace used for smelting iron located in Oxford Township, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. Built in 1741, it was the third furnace in colonial New Jersey and the first constructed at a site where iron ore was mined. Other furnaces used ore extracted from bogs in...
. He studied law and became public prosecutor for Camden County
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
.
During the Civil War, he was appointed a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the New Jersey Militia by the Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, and also served as the Attorney General of New Jersey from 1867-1869.
Robeson was appointed Secretary of Navy by President Ulysses S. Grant, replacing Adolph E. Borie
Adolph E. Borie
Adolph Edward Borie was a United States merchant and politician who briefly served as Secretary of the Navy in the Ulysses S. Grant administration.-Biography:...
who served only a few months. He held the position until the end of Grant's second term, serving from June 26, 1869 until March 4, 1877. Robeson, while Secretary of Navy, allegedly took $320,000 in bribes from a grain company to pay for a new vacation home. Robeson was also alleged by a House committee to have squandered $15,000,000 of missing Naval construction funds to purchase real estate in Washington D.C. Robeson was so adept at hiding his financial tracks that he was known as "the cuttle fish" of the Navy.
After leaving the Navy Department
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
Robeson returned to his law practice in Camden County. From March 4, 1879-March 3, 1883, he served as U.S. Congressman from New Jersey, representing New Jersey's 1st congressional district
New Jersey's 1st congressional district
New Jersey's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of New Jersey.The current U.S. Representative from the 1st district is Democrat Rob Andrews...
, then again returned to his practice and worked there until his death at age 68 in 1897. Robeson is buried at Belvidere Cemetery
Belvidere Cemetery
Belvidere Cemetery is a cemetery located in Belvidere, in Warren County, New Jersey that was founded in 1834. It includes many graves of people who fought in the American Revolutionary War. -Notable interments:...
in Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere is a Town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat of Warren County....
.
Reputation and controversy
Robeson's services as Secretary of the Navy under Grant have never been fully examined. When he became Secretary the U.S. Navy was considered one of the most modern and best in the world following the success of the Union's fleets in the American Civil War. But the general rumor of the Grant years was that our seeming lead in naval construction, particularly with modern ironclad warships, was lost due to corruption pushed by Robeson and his cronies. Instead of building newer and better ships, Robeson had the older ones repaired piecemeal, and (the story went) the contracts went to his friends. The result was that the fleet deteriorated. It was later suggested that only a series of energetic Secretaries of the Navy in the 1880s, culminating in Benjamin Tracy in the administration of Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
, saved the honor of the U.S. Navy.
On the other hand, after the bloodshed and horrors of the Civil War, there was a general desire to reduce military expenditure whenever possible.
The army too was reduced in size, being just large enough for the purposes of assisting in the Reconstruction programs of the southern states and the patrolling and controlling of the Indians in the west. Robeson's policies may very well have been dictated by these movements of the public and Congress. If so he may have lacked real spirit and enterprise, but he was simply doing what was expected of him.
He did help push the "Polaris" Expedition of Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall
Charles Francis Hall
Charles Francis Hall was an American Arctic explorer. Little is known of Hall's early life. He was born in the state of Vermont, but while he was still a child his family moved to Rochester, New Hampshire, where, as a boy, he was apprenticed to a blacksmith. In the 1840s he married and drifted...
in 1870, that went to Northern Greenland, and made the then record of furthest North. Although the expedition ended in disarray after the mysterious death of Hall in 1871, it did have some accomplishments.
One was to honor the Secretary with the naming of Robeson Channel
Robeson Channel
Robeson Channel is a body of water lying between Greenland and Canada's northernmost island, Ellesmere Island. It is the most northerly part of Nares Strait, linking Hall Basin to the south with the Arctic Ocean to the north....
for him.
Also, during the events of 1873 resulting from the Virginius Affair
Virginius Affair
The Virginius Affair was a diplomatic dispute that occurred in the 1870s between the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain, then in control of Cuba, during the Ten Years' War....
, Robeson did his best to get the navy ready if needed to confront the Kingdom of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
around Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
External links
Retrieved on 2008-02-12- George Maxwell Robeson at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...