During the Civil War, Galena gained notoriety when it produced nine Civil War generals—including Ulysses S. Grant.  This made Galena unique, as no other community of its size had that many men rise to the rank of General.  On the tours, you will be able to view many of the General’s homes. I have asked my good friend, Mike Campbell to introduce these famous men.  Mike’s parents, Pete and Taci, were local historians and Pete actually portrayed one of the generals for parades, Civil War reenactments, and special events.

Galena’s most famous general is General Ulysses S. Grant.  Grant rose to power as commander of the Union Armies during the Civil War.  His fame continued during his two terms as president of the United States.

Grant had been in Galena just a year when Fort Sumter in South Carolina was fired upon by Confederate artillery. These were the first shots of the Civil War.  Immediately after Fort Sumter had fallen, Galena’s mayor, Robert Brand, called for a courthouse meeting where he proposed the formation of volunteer companies.  After a heated discussion, the motion passed.  The following evening, April 18, another meeting was held to enlist volunteers.  Grant was introduced as a West Point graduate and a veteran of the Mexican War.  He was asked to take charge of the recruiting, to organize a company, and to become its commander.  Grant declined, stating he could not command a company because as an army officer, his services were beholden to the Government.  He offered, however, to act as chairman, and to train volunteers until the government called him into service.  A protest was voiced against Grant as chairman on the grounds that he had lived in St.…

In early June, Governor Yates sent Grant a telegram asking if he would accept the Colonelcy of the 21st Illinois Infantry, known as the Mattoon Regiment.  The former colonel had lost his command as he could not enforce discipline.  The regiment was so out of control that political critics had renamed the regiment, “Governor Yates Hellions.”  Officers who had met Grant while he was serving as mustering officer felt that the “Galena Captain” was a good man and petitioned the Governor to appoint him as Colonel.  Gov. Yates had little personal contact with Grant and was inclined to deny the proposition until State Auditor Jesse K. Dubois happened to enter the room and in joining the conversation, spoke so highly of Grant that Yates consented to the choice.

Finally, after four long, exhausting years of Civil War, on April 9 (Palm Sunday), 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant.  The war had ended!  The meeting was held in the rural town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia.  It took place in the parlor of Wilmer and Virginia McLean’s home and was attended by Galena’s Brig. Gen. John Rawlins and Lt. Col. Ely Parker. 

Their next visit to Galena was three years later, Friday, August 7, 1868.  As the train which carried them whistled for the Galena stop, the bronze cannon named “General Grant,” which was situated on the hill near the high school building, boomed forth a greeting which echoed through the valley.  The General and his family were met with cheers of welcome.  Carriages carried the distinguished family up the hill to their residence.  Later that evening, General Grant was formally welcomed back to Galena.   After a speech by General John C. Smith, General Grant replied, “Fellow Citizens of Galena: After an absence of three years, it gives me great pleasure to meet you here in Galena where I expect to spend a fortnight with you very agreeably and quietly.  I shall be glad to see you at your homes and shall be pleased to meet you at mine whenever you can make it convenient to call.  Of course I shall not take this occasion, or any other, to make…

Grant’s 2½ year world tour had fatigued him, and he was ready for a quiet, restful life.  When the Grants returned to Galena, they brought with them a Japanese servant named “J. Yanada”.  Every morning, immediately after breakfast, Grant would seat himself at his desk and carefully review his huge pile of mail.  That task done, he would light a fresh cigar, send his servant Yanada for his cane, and, accompanied by the faithful servant, walk to town to do the daily errands.  The first stop was the Post Office, and then on to the office of his close friend, General Rowley where he would enjoy a morning chat.  Then he would stroll leisurely up the street, stopping frequently to shake hands with old friends and acquaintances.  At Mr. Benjamin Felt’s grocery store a few old-time citizens usually gathered in anticipation of Grant’s morning call, and it was rare that he disappointed them.  Despite the fact that Kings had recently tipped their…

Augustus L. Chetlain was born in St. Louis, Missouri December 26, 1824.  When he was two years old, his family moved to Galena.  His father came to mine, however Chetlain later began a successful farming career.  Augustus met Miss Emily Tenney of Galena shortly before she moved to Ohio.  He fell in love, and followed her to Ohio where they were married.  Sadly, 18 months after the marriage, she passed away.  Emily and Augustus had one son.  With the loss of his wife, Chetlain moved back to Galena.

John Duer was born in Maryland in 1838.  Unfortunately, little is known about his pre-Civil War life.  We do know however, that he moved to Galena with his brother Charles around 1860.  They opened “Charles Duer & Brother Groceries and Provisions, Wood and Willow Ware” on the corner of Main and Perry Street. 

Jasper Adalmorn Maltby was born in Kingsville, Ohio in 1826.  At the young age of 17, he served in the Mexican War and was wounded during the battle of Chapultepec.  He was discharged on August 3, 1848, and moved to Chicago.  During the mid-1850’s he moved to Galena where he opened a gunsmith shop and sporting accessories business on Main Street. 

Ely Parker was a Seneca Indian of noble descent born in Indian Falls, New York in 1828.  He was from the Tonawanda Reservation of Western New York State.  His Indian birth name was Ha-sa-no-an-da.  Parker had an encyclopedic mind and was extremely intelligent.  His grandmother had been white, which may have promoted his interest in learning about the white man’s culture.

The only native Galenian of the “Galena Generals” was Brigadier General John Aaron Rawlins, born in East Galena in 1831. When Rawlins was three the family moved to Guilford, Illinois, several miles east of Galena.  His father, James, worked as a farmer and later made a living burning charcoal for the lead smelters.  His young son, John, assisted him with the business.  Later in life, this occupation earned John the nicknamed the “Coal Boy General.” 

William Rueben Rowley was born in Governor, New York on February 8, 1824.  In the early 1840’s he moved to Brown County, Ohio where he taught school.  During the mid-1840’s Rowley relocated to Scales Mound, Illinois where he continued teaching. 

John Corson Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 13, 1832.  He moved to Galena in the mid-1850’s and formed a partnership in the carpentry and contracting trade with B. W. Marble.  They constructed a number of private residences in Galena and Dubuque, as well as Galena’s Methodist Episcopal Church on Bench Street, and Dubuque’s Custom House.  Smith was a close friend of Ely Parker and had been his assistant on several government construction projects. 

John Eugene Smith (not to be confused with John C. Smith) was the oldest of the Generals at age 45.  John E. Smith was born in Berne, Switzerland on August 3, 1816.  Smith was no stranger to the military, as his father had served as an officer in Napoleon’s army.  The Smith family immigrated to the United States when John was just a baby.  They settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Smith was eventually trained as a silversmith and jeweler.

Of the nine generals we have discussed, five of them were laid to rest in Galena’s Greenwood Cemetery.  The graves of Augustus Chetlain, William Rowley, Jasper Maltby, John C. Smith, and John E. Smith were shown during their narratives.  While visiting Galena feel free to stop by the historic Greenwood Cemetery, where you can pay your respect to these great men who fought so valiantly for our nation.