▁his ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁open ▁letter ▁J ' Acc use … !, ▁Pic qu art ▁was ▁himself ▁accused ▁of ▁for ging ▁the ▁note ▁that ▁had ▁convinced ▁him ▁of ▁E ster h azy ' s ▁gu ilt . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁arrested ▁for ▁forg ery ▁and ▁was ▁waiting ▁for ▁a ▁Court - mart ial , ▁while ▁the ▁French ▁Court ▁of ▁Cass ation ▁was ▁review ing ▁the ▁D rey f us ▁case . ▁After ▁the ▁second ▁Court - mart ial , ▁held ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁the ▁conclus ions ▁of ▁the ▁court , ▁Pic qu art ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁army . ▁However , ▁the ▁ex on er ation ▁of ▁D rey f us ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁also ▁absol ved ▁Pic qu art , ▁who ▁was , ▁by ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Deput ies , ▁promoted ▁to ▁brig ad ier - general . ▁That ▁was ▁the ▁rank ▁that ▁an ▁officer ▁of ▁his ▁senior ity ▁and ▁experience ▁could ▁normally ▁have ▁expected ▁to ▁reach , ▁if ▁his ▁career ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁interrupted ▁by ▁his ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁D rey f us ▁affair . ▁ ▁Sub sequ ent ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁General ▁Pic qu art ▁entered ▁Georges ▁C lem ence au ' s ▁first ▁cabinet ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁War . ▁He ▁held ▁that ▁position ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁duration ▁of ▁the ▁C lem ence au ▁Cab inet , ▁from ▁ 2 5 ▁October ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁to ▁ 2 4 ▁July ▁ 1 9