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Birth date
Born to David and Esther Wallace in Brookville, Indiana -
Start of lawschool
Lew begins working as a copyist for the Marion County Clerk and begins studying the law at night. -
Serving as a 2nd Lieutenant
Lew serves as a 2nd Lieutenant of the 1st Indiana Volunteers in Mexican-American War, but sees little action. -
Bar exam
Lew passes the bar exam to get his law degree -
Setting up law practice
Lew sets up law practice in Covington, Indiana -
Marriage
Lew marries Susan Elston, daughter of Isaac Elston. -
Elected Indiana State Senate
Lew is elected to Indiana State Senate; Lew organizes the Montgomery Guards, a militia unit that gains him statewide notoriety. -
Appointed Adjutant General
Lew is appointed Adjutant General of Indiana to begin organizing Indiana’s soldiers; Lew becomes Colonel of the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. -
Promotion to Major General
Lew promoted to Major General and commands troops in Tennessee battles of Forts Donelson and Henry and Shiloh; Lew organizes a successful defense of Cincinnati, Ohio, in September. -
Promoted to Commander by President Lincoln
Lew is appointed Commander of the 8th Army Corps at Baltimore by President Lincoln; Lew leads troops in the Battle of Monocacy, which saves Washington, D.C., from Confederate assault. -
Leads a secret mission in Mexico
Lew leads secret mission in Mexico to stop flow of goods into the Confederacy; Lew is appointed second in command of the Lincoln assassination trial; Lew is appointed President of the Court for the trial of Henry Wirz, the commander of Andersonville prison. -
Supplies the Juaristas with arms
Lew returns to Mexico and supplies the Juaristas with arms in their successful attempt to overthrow Maximillian. -
Marbel statue of Wallace is made in his honor
A marble statue of Lew placed in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol Building in Washington; A copy of the statue is placed on the Study grounds in Crawfordsville (image at right courtesy of Architect of the Capitol).
