Lew Wallace was born on April 10th 1827 in Brookville, Indiana. His career began as a lawyer before entering the military and rising to the rank of General. Thereafter he was the Governor of the New Mexico Territory, a politician, a diplomat, and most famously to us as a writer. He is best known for his epic historical adventure 'Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ' (1880). This blockbuster of a novel has been called the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century and often cited as the most popular of the century as well. Wallace wrote only a few works but these ranged from historical fiction to poetry, a play and biographies.During the American Civil War, he was appointed Indiana's adjutant general and commanded the 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment. Wallace, who attained the rank of major general, participated in the Battle of Fort Donelson, the Battle of Shiloh, and the Battle of Monocacy. He also served on the military commission for the trial of the conspirators who assassinated President Lincoln.Wallace had spells as a major general in the Mexican army (1865-67), Governor of the New Mexico Territory (1878-81) and served as U.S. minister to the Ottoman Empire (1881-85). Wallace retired to his home in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he continued to write, invent and build until his death on February 15th 1905.
