

In 1849 he was admitted to the bar in his native state and seven years later entered the state senate.

During the Mexican War he served as a second lieutenant in the lst Indiana but saw only minor action.

Born in Indiana, he had worked as a clerk and early displayed a fascination for Mexico which would affect him in later years. Lewis "Lew" Wallace was a lawyer, governor, Union general in the American Civil War, American statesman, and author, best remembered for his historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.Īlthough he would have much preferred to be remembered as a highly successful military hero, Lew Wallace has been thwarted in this ambition and is best known as an author.
