Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography

Thousands of short American lives — soldiers, inventors, preachers, governors, novelists — each given a paragraph: born where, did what, and why anyone remembered.

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Callis, John Benton

soldier, legislator, congressman, was born Jan. 3, 1828, in Fayetteville, N. C. He studied medicine, but never went into active practice. He served in the civil war as captain of company F, seventh regiment Wisconsin volunteer infantry; was promoted to major, lieutenant colonel, brevet-colonel, and brigadier-general for bravery during the war. He received a ball in the right lung at the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863; and mustered out of volunteer service on Dec. 30 of the same year for disability. Six months later he was appointed major in the V. R. C.; and was assigned to duty as military superintendent of the war department in Washington, D. C. He was subsequently made captain in the forty-fifth United States infantry regular army; was promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers, and served until 1868. He was elected to the fortieth congress from Alabama, and served with distinction. During 1873-74 he served in the legislature of Wisconsin.

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