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	Galena's Nine Civil War Generals Many wonder how a small town like Galena could have been home to nine Civil War Generals, not the least of whom was Ulysses S. Grant.  Keep in mind, however a number of things: Galena in 1861 was one of Illinois's largest and most influential cities with a population of nearly 12,000. Galena had been the largest river boat port north of St. Louis for 20 years and a gateway for settlers moving north and west. Galena was home to Congressman Elihu Washburne, the senior Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives and one of its most influential members.  He was instrumental in furthering the military, and later political, career of U.S. Grant. Not all of Galena's "generals" achieved that rank during hostilities.  Several were given the rank for service rendered during the war (a practice common at the time.) Following, then, is a brief career inventory for each of Galena's nine generals.  Augustus Louis Chetlain John Oliver Duer Ulysses Simpson Grant Jasper Adalmorn Maltby Ely Samuel Parker John Aaron Rawlins William Rueben Rowley John Corson Smith John Eugene Smith                 Augustus Louis Chetlain Born December 26, 1824, St. Louis, Missouri Family settled in Galena, 1826 Conducted successful mercantile business in Galena Assisted in raising Galena's first volunteer company, the "Jo Daviess Guards," April 1861 Commissioned Captain, Company F, 12th Illinois Infantry, April 1861 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, May 1861 Promoted Colonel, for Gallantry at Fort Donelson, April 1862 Commanded Federal Post at Corinth, Mississippi, engaged in raising black troops In charge of raising black troops in Tennessee and Kentucky, for which given rank of brevet Major General, June 1864 Commander at Memphis, Tennessee and Talladega, Alabama, 1865-1866 Appointed Assessor of Internal Revenue for the District of Utah, 1867 Appointed U.S. Consul to Belgium, 1869 Returned to Chicago, 1872; engaged in banking business Died in Chicago, March 15, 1914; buried in Galena To top         John Oliver Duer Born February 12, 1838, Baltimore, Maryland Moved to Galena, 1860 Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Company D, 45th Illinois Infantry, September 1861 Promoted 1st Lieutenant, March 1862 Promoted Captain, April 1862 Promoted Major, June 1863 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, January 1865 Promoted Colonel, May 1865 Mustered out, as Lieutenant Colonel, July 1865 Promoted brevet Brigadier General, for war service, July 12, 1865 Removed to Monticello, Iowa, as head of dry goods firm of Duer & Estey Elected mayor of Monticello Died December 11, 1880; buried in Monticello, Iowa To top         Ulysses Simpson Grant Born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822, Point Pleasant, Ohio Graduated U.S. Military Academy, 1843 Served in Mexican War; garrisoned at Western Posts; attained rank of Captain Resigned from U.S. Army, 1854 Farmed near St. Louis, Missouri Came to Galena, April 1860; employed with two brothers in family leather store Commissioned Colonel of 21st Illinois Infantry, June 1861 Promoted Brigadier General, August 1861 Promoted Major General, February 1862 Promoted Lieutenant General, March 1864 Made General in Chief of All U.S. Forces, March 1864 Named Secretary of War, August 1867 Elected President of the U.S., 1868; Re-elected, 1872 Conducted Around the World tour, 1877-1879 Sustained financial losses, 1884; recouped by authoring "Personal Memoirs" Died at Mt. McGregor, New York, July 23, 1885; buried in New York City To top       Jasper Adalmorn Maltby Born 1826, Ashtabula County, Ohio Saw service in Mexican War...wounded at Chapultepec Removed to Galena, opening a gunsmithing and sporting accessories business With fellow Galenian John E. Smith, instrumental in forming the 45th Illinois Infantry...the "Washburne Lead Mine Regiment" Commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 45th, September 1861 Wounded at Fort Donelson Promoted Colonel, November 1862 Wounded at Vicksburg Promoted Brigadier General, August 1863 Mustered out, January 1866, entering mercantile business in Vicksburg, Mississippi Appointed military mayor of Vicksburg, and head of registration bureau, enrolling black voters Died in Vicksburg, December 12, 1867 Buried in Galena, March 1868 To top         Ely Samuel Parker Born 1828, Genesee County, New York Studied law; denied admission to the Bar because of Indian heritage Graduated Rensellaer as a civil engineer; engaged in canal projects Proclaimed Grant Sachem of Iroquois Nation (1852); given name Do-ne-ho-ga-wa ("Keeper of the Western Door") Came to Galena (1857) as superintendent of construction of Custom House and U.S. Marine Hospital Commissioned Captain and Assistant Adjutant General (May 1863), serving as Gen. John E. Smith's divisional engineer Promoted Lieutenant Colonel and military secretary to U.S. Grant, August 1864 Transcribed Appomattox surrender terms, April 1865 Brevetted Brigadier General (USV) April 1865; Brigadier General (USA), March 1867 Served as Grant's Aide de Camp until April 1869 Served as U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs (1869-1871) Died August 30, 1895 in Fairfield, Connecticut; buried in Buffalo, New York To top     John Aaron Rawlins Born February 13, 1831, East Galena Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois Studied law in Galena office of Isaac P. Stevens; practices with Stevens and, later, with David Sheean Served as Galena City Attorney (1857), and Presidential Elector for Stephen Douglas (1860) Commissioned Captain and Assistant Adjutant General on staff of U.S. Grant, August 1861 Promoted Major, May 1862 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, November 1862 Promoted Brigadier General and Chief of Staff (USA), March 1865 Received brevet ranks of Major General (USV), February 1865; and Major General (USA), April 1865, for war service Accompanied Dodge Expedition over proposed Union Pacific RR route, 1867; gave name to Rawlins, Wyoming Appointed U.S. Secretary of War, March 1869 Died in Washington, September 6, 1869; buried in Arlington National Cemetery To top     William Rueben Rowley Born February 8, 1824, St. Lawrence County, New York Came to Jo Daviess County in 1843, first employed in school teaching Held succession of county governmental positions, including Assessor and Collector, Deputy Circuit Clerk, Sheriff, and Circuit Clerk Commissioned 1st Lieutenant, Company D, 45th Illinois Infantry, November 1861 Promoted Captain and Aide-de-camp on staff of U.S. Grant, February 1862 Detailed as Provost Marshal General of Departments of Tennessee and Cumberland, 1863 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel and Military Secretary to General Grant, March 1864 Resigned due to ill health, August 1864 Brevetted to ranks of Colonel and Brigadier General Resumed post of Jo Daviess County Circuit Clerk until 1876, and subsequently judge of the county court Died in Galena, February 9, 1886; buried in Galena To top     John Corson Smith Born February 13, 1832, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Trained in carpentry and building, removed to Galena in 1854 Erected numerous public and private buildings in Galena and Dubuque, Iowa Enlisted as Private in Company I, 96th Illinois Infantry; elected Captain Commissioned Major, September 1862 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, for gallantry at Chickamauga, September 1863 Wounded at Kenesaw Mountain Held various bureaucratic posts at Nashville, Tennessee until end of war Brevetted Colonel and promoted to full rank, 1865 Promoted brevet Brigadier General for war service, June 1865 Assessor for Department of Internal Revenue until 1872 Commission merchant in Chicago; chief grain inspector for city Elected both Illinois State Treasurer and Lieutenant Governor Died in Chicago, December 31, 1910; buried in Galena To top     John Eugene Smith Born August 3, 1816, Canton of Berne, Switzerland Family emigrated to US in same year, settling in Philadelphia Settled in Galena in 1836, practicing the jeweler's trade for twenty-five years Served as Jo Daviess County Treasurer Organized the 45th Illinois Infantry, the "Washburne Lead Mine Regiment"; commissioned its Colonel, July 1861 Promoted Brigadier General (USV), November 1862 Brevetted Brigadier General (USA) for Vicksburg; Major General (USV), for war service; Major General (USA) for gallant service at Savannah, Georgia Served as United States Assessor for District of Utah Colonel of 27th U.S. Infantry Transferred to 14th U.S. Infantry (1870); served until retirement in May 1881 Resided in Chicago; died there January 29, 1897; buried in Galena To top
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