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Lt. Colonel Robert C. Wallace, a Short Biography

        Robert C. Wallace was born in Ayshire, Scotland, on 26 February 1837, the son of John and Agnes (Craig) Wallace.  His father had received his education at the University of Glasgow, emphasizing both literature and medicine.  In 1844, the entire family consisting of father, mother, and six children emigrated to American.  The family settled in Detroit, MI where John Wallace practiced medicine.

        Robert attended the public schools in Detroit, graduated and was employed by the retail firm of G. & R. McMillan, working there for seven years. In 1860, he and his brother opened a grocery store in Detroit.  The store flourished, but the impending War was to change everything.

        Robert C. Wallace had joined a militia unit in Detroit called the “Detroit Guards”. On 18 April 1864, he and the rest of his unit answered Lincoln’s call and joined the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry as Company A. Robert was shortly promoted to Corporal. The 1st Michigan was sent to Washington, D.C. on 23 May 1861, then to camp, and participated at the disaster of First Bull Run on 21 July 1861.  Being a 90 day unit, they shortly returned to Detroit and mustered out. Robert rejoined his grocery business.

        In 1862, the 5th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry was organized at Detroit. Robert joined the 5th and was commissioned as supernumerary 2nd Lieutenant of Company L on 2 September 1862 to rank 14 August 1862.  Following the arrival of the 5th to camp in Northern Virginia in 1863, Wallace was captured by John Mosby’s men and sent to Libby Prison.  He was exchanged prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, but he was at the time detailed with Company L protection wagon trains during the battle with Stuart on the third day.  The 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry Regiments, which had previously been brigaded together to become known as The Michigan Brigade, received George Armstrong Custer, as their flamboyant commander.


        Wallace saw steady advancement in rank throughout the war.  He was promoted to:

  • 2nd Lieutenant of Company L 18 March 1863.
  • 1st Lieutenant 9 December 1863 to rank 2 November 1863 and transferred to Company G.
  • Captain 6 November 1864 to rank 24 August 1864 and transferred to Company A.
  • Major 3 May 1865 to rank 14 April 1865.
  • Brevet Lt. Colonel to date from 13 March, 1865
        Wallace’s abilities must have been highly thought of as he saw duty on the regimental staff of Colonel Sawyer from September 1863 and was Aide-de-Camp by February 1864. He was transferred to Divisional staff and was Aide-de-Camp to Brig. General A.T.A. Torbert from May to November 1864 and was Aide-de-Camp at Cavalry H.Q. from December 1864 to January 1865.
During the War, Wallace participated in numerous campaigns and incidents including skirmishing on the Rapidan, the aborted Kilpatrick Raid on Richmond, and the Wilderness campaign.  He was an eye witness to the death of J.E.B. Stuart at Yellow Tavern and at the Front Royal Affaire involving the execution of a number of Mosby’s men during Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley campaign.

        Wallace was at Appomattox 9 and 10 April 1865, where he saluted General Lee, a gesture which was returned in kind and mentioned in Robert's memoirs (see below). He rode in the Grand Review as Major of the 5th on May 25, 1865 and help to muster out the Regiment in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 22 June 1865.

        After the War, Wallace was employed for a brief time as a traveling salesman for a wholesale tobacco house.  After that he was employed as a clerk on the Dubuque and Ontonagon steamers that sailed the points between Detroit and Lake Superior.

        America’s West attracted him and in 1869 he moved to Helena, Montana.  Here he tried various jobs and within two years felt secure enough to start his own business, a grocery enterprise.  In 1873 he formed a partnership with James L. Davis, which lasted 10 years, subsequently buying his partner out.  In 1874 he and five friends journeyed to what is now Yellowstone National Park.  Wallace’s business interests included mining and ranching and he sat on the boards of a number of Helena enterprises.

        Miss Ellen Shaw of Michigan became Robert’s bride in 1875, the marriage lasting until 16 September 1890, when she died.  They had two children, David and Margaret. He never remarried.

        Politically, Wallace was a Republican. In 1883 he served as Helena’s first City Treasurer. In the same year, he was also elected to the territorial legislature. He was a member of the Masons, the Grand Army of the Republic (a post commander), the United Workmen, the Loyal Legion, and the Caledonia Club.

        In 1915 he published his memoirs entitled A Few Memories of a Long Life. Only one or two original copies apparently exist today, but in 1988 530 copies were reprinted. Most of the book deals with his Civil War service.  Wallace’s life ended on 21 October 1928 and at 91˝ years, it was indeed a long and full life.