Galena Illinois has a unique and storied history.
From this little Midwest town came nine Civil War Generals.
The most recognized is General Ulysses S. Grant,
who would go on to become the eighteenth President of the United States
In July 1861 Colonel John E. Smith started organizing the 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment in Galena. When the unit left Galena four of its men were destined to become Generals. John E. Smith became Brigadier General on November 29, 1862. In 1865 he was Brevetted Major General. Lt. Colonel Jasper Maltby became Colonel of the 45th when Smith was promoted. Maltby was promoted to General in 1863 at Vicksburg and remained there in charge of the city. After Grant was promoted to Major General after Fort Donelson First Lt. William Rowley was commissioned captain and became aide-de- camp to Grant. Second Lt. Duer replaced Rowley as 1st Lt. Duer worked his way up the ranks till he was Colonel of the 45th at the end of the war. He was brevetted General on his mustering out of the army in 1865.
On July 31, 1861, Ulysses S. Grant became the first General from Galena. He invited John A. Rawlins to join his staff with the rank of Captain. Rawlins was appointed Brigadier General in March 1865 and became Grant�s Chief of Staff. He was brevetted Major General upon Lee�s surrender in April 1865. Captain William Rowley was added to Grant�s staff in 1862. In March 1864, he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and became Grant�s Military Secretary. Illness forced him to resign in October 1864. In 1866 Grant had Rowley brevetted Brigadier General for his service. Ely Parker joined General John E. Smith�s Division in 1863. He transferred to Grant�s staff in September 1863. Parker wrote the surrender papers for Lee. Upon Lee�s surrender, on April 9, 1865, Parker was brevetted Brigadier General.
Two other men from Galena attained General independently. Augustus Chetlain was the first to volunteer and was Captain of the Jo Daviess Guards. It became part of the 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. By April 1862 he was Colonel of the 12th. In December 1863 Chetlain was commissioned Brigadier General and put in charge of recruiting Colored volunteers. He did very well and was brevetted Major General in June 1865. John Corson Smith joined a company being formed in Warren, IL in 1862. The company became part of the 96th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment and he was elected Major. In February 1865 Smith was brevetted Colonel of the 96th and was brevetted Brigadier General in June 1865.
Ulysses S. Grant John E. Smith John A. Rawlins Augustus. L. Chetlain Jasper A. Maltby Ely Samuel Parker John Corson Smith John O Duer William Reuben Rowley
The mission of The Galena Generals NFP is to provide historic
representation of the 9 Civil War Generals who were from
Galena, Illinois and the Galena area.
In 1961 to commemorate the centenial of the start of the Civil War, the Galena Elks gathered volunteers to portray the 9 generals.
They were called the "Galena Elks Civil War Generals."
In 1965 the Generals formed again for Grant's return from the war. they were called "The Galena Generals."
In the 1970s the Generals formed again, and a new sponsor, the VFW. They marched in the Chicago St. Patrick's Day parades into the 1980s.
In 2005 the Generals regrouped again. This time it was decided to accurately portray each General. They provide historic information to the public, as they attend public functions such as parades, and public gatherings.
In 2025 The Galena Generals incorporated.
Currently they attend Memorial Day services and parades in the area around Galena, 4th of July parades, Veterans Day, the Galena Halloween parade, The Galena Jeep Jingle Christmas parade and other events in the area.
Also they are involved in the Boy Scout annual "Blackhawk Area Council�s U.S. Grant Pilgrimage."
Their big event is "The Generals Ball" held at the DeSoto House Hotel in Galena.
The current Galena Generals July 4, 2024
