WALLACE, LEWIS (LEW) (1827-1905), American sol dier and author, was born at Brookville (Ind.), April io, 1827. He abandoned law in Indianapolis to recruit volunteers for the Mexican War, and served in 1846-47. In the Civil War he served in the West Virginia campaign. After the capture of Fort Donelson as major-general, he was engaged at Shiloh, and com manded the Eighth Corps at Baltimore. By delaying the Con federate general J. A. Early at Monocacy he saved Washington from almost certain capture. General Wallace served as presi dent of the courts of inquiry which investigated the conduct of General D. C. Buell and condemned Henry Wirz, commander of the Confederate prison at Andersonville (Ga.). He was also a member of the court which tried the alleged conspirators against President Lincoln. He resigned from the Army in 1865 to return to
the bar. He served as governor of New Mexico Territory (1878– S 1) and as minister to Turkey (1881-85), but declined the mission to Brazil under President Harrison. He died at Crawfordsville (Ind.), Feb. 15, 1905. His literary reputation rests upon three historical romances: The Fair God (1873), a story of the con quest of Mexico; The Prince of India (1893), dealing with the Wandering Jew and the Byzantine empire ; and his greatest popu lar success, Ben Hur (1880), an absorbing tale of the coming of Christ, which was translated into several languages, and provided spectacular entertainment on the stage and in moving pictures, the chariot scene being famous. Lew Wallace: An Autobiography was published in 1906.