Lewis Wallace
Lewis Wallace was an American soldier, politician, and author, born on April 10, 1827, in Brookville, Indiana. He began his career in law but shifted to military service during the Mexican War, later rising to the rank of major-general in the Civil War. Notably, Wallace participated in key battles, including Shiloh, and was involved in significant post-war judicial proceedings, such as the trials of the Lincoln conspirators. After retiring from the military, he served as governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1878 to 1881, a period during which he authored his best-known work, "Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ," published in 1880. This novel was a departure from the realistic literary trends of the time, opting instead for a romanticized narrative, and became immensely popular. Wallace also wrote other works, including "The Fair God," and "The Prince of India," showcasing his diverse literary talents influenced by his varied life experiences. He passed away on February 15, 1905, in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
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Lewis Wallace
American novelist
- Born: April 10, 1827
- Birthplace: Brookville, Indiana
- Died: February 15, 1905
- Place of death: Crawfordsville, Indiana
Biography
Although General Lewis (Lew) Wallace spent his professional life (as a soldier and a politician) as a realist, in his novels he chose to move opposite the prevailing realistic literary movement and return to the romantic concept of fiction. This stand proved popular with the reading public, and his romanticized Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, published in 1880, became a best-seller.
Wallace, born in Brookville, Indiana, on April 10, 1827, studied for the bar and practiced law until the outbreak of the Mexican War, in which he served. Wallace was elected Indiana state senator in 1856, serving until the beginning of the Civil War. He rose to the rank of major-general during the Civil War (participating in the Battle of Shiloh and the 1864 defense of Washington, D.C.), served as president of court in the Andersonville prison trials, and served as a member of the court that tried the Lincoln conspirators.
Wallace retired from the army in 1865 and later acted as governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1878 to 1881 (during which time he wrote Ben Hur) and represented the United States as minister to Turkey (1881-1885). After his retirement from public life he wrote biographies, a tragedy in blank verse, and The Prince of India. His first novel, The Fair God: Or, The Last of the ’Tzins—A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico, published in 1873, is often considered his best. Ben Hur is a dramatization of the story of Jesus, sentimentalized in action and language but vivid and memorable in its authentic detail. The Prince of India, published in 1893, was based upon his experiences as United States minister to Turkey and presents the legendary character of the Wandering Jew. Wallace died in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on February 15, 1905.
Bibliography
McGee, Irving. “Ben Hur” Wallace: The Life of General Lew Wallace. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1947.
Morsberger, Robert E., and Katherine M. Morsberger. Lew Wallace, Militant Romantic. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980.
Vinson, James, ed. Great Writers of the English Language: Novelists and Prose Writers. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1979. Places Wallace and his career in perspective.
Wallace, Lewis. Smoke, Sound, and Fury: The Civil War Memoirs of Major-General Lew Wallace, U.S. Volunteers, edited by Jim Leeke. San Francisco: Strawberry Hill Press, 1998.