Bold clipped signature in ink reads “LEW WALLACE.” Clip meas. approx. 4.75 x 0.75 of an inch. Remains of thin red line border across the bottom and right edge.

Lewis “Lew” Wallace was born in Brookville, Indiana on April 10, 1827. During the war with Mexico he served as a 1st Lieutenant in the 1st Indiana. After the war he read law and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1849 and in 1859 he was elected to the Indiana state senate.

When Fort Sumter was fired on Wallace was appointed Adjutant General of the state and was later appointed Colonel of the 11th Indiana Infantry. A promotion to Brigadier General came on September 3, 1861. He was present at the capture of Fort Donelson and promoted to Major General on March 21, 1862. Wallace commanded a Division at Shiloh but while moving to the field he became lost and arrived too late to be of any use on the first day of the battle.

Wallace did perform better in the summer of 1864 when he fought an important delaying action against Jubal Early during the latter’s raid on Washington. Wallace delayed Early long enough for reinforcements from the Army of the Potomac to arrive.

After the war he served as a member of the military commission that tried the Lincoln conspirators and was president of the court-martial that tried and condemned the commandant of Andersonville Prison, Henry Wirz. In later years Wallace served as Governor of New Mexico and the United States minister to Turkey. Wallace was also a lecturer and speaker. He was also a writer and became famous for writing “Ben Hur: A Tale of The Christ” which has been produced on film at least three times in the last 88 years.

Lew Wallace died in his Crawfordville, Indiana home on February 15, 1905 and is buried there in Oak Hill Cemetery.

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