Colonel of the 11th Indiana Infantry

Member of the military commission that tried the President Lincoln assassination conspirators

He was president of the court martial that tried and condemned Henry Wirz, the Commandant at the notorious Confederate Andersonville Prison in Georgia

Governor of New Mexico

Author of the classic book "Ben Hur"

(1827-1905) Born in Brookville, Indiana, he was celebrated as the author of the classic "Ben Hur" and other literary works. His father was the governor of Indiana. Wallace served in the Mexican War as a lieutenant of the 1st Indiana Infantry. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1849, and in 1856 was elected to the state senate. Upon the bombardment of Fort Sumter he was appointed state adjutant general and on April 25, 1861, was made colonel of the 11th Indiana Infantry. After some service in West Virginia, he was promoted to brigadier general on September 5, 1861, and later took part in the capture of Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Promoted to major general to rank from March 21, 1862, he also saw action at the Battle of Shiloh. In the summer of 1864, with a much smaller force, he was able to make a gallant stand and stop General Jubal A. Early's Washington bound Confederate army at the Monocacy River avoiding the potential capture of the U.S. capital. In 1865, he was a member of the military commission which tried the Lincoln conspirators and he was president of the court martial which tried and condemned Henry Wirz, commandant at Andersonville Prison. His post war career saw him as governor of New Mexico and U.S. Minister to Turkey. Lew Wallace died at home in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on February 15, 1905, and was buried in Crawfordsville's Oak Hill Cemetery.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Half view wearing a double breasted frock coat with rank of major general. No back mark. Very sharp image. Extremely desirable. Rare.