Author: Eugene Beauharnais Payne
Born: 15 Apr 1835
Died: 06 Apr 1910
Bio: Eugene Beauharnais Payne was a year old when, in 1836, his father, Mr. Thomas Hubbard Payne, with his wife and child, went to Chicago and bought a large tract of land in what is now Fremont, Lake County, Ill. In this region the family became pioneer settlers, and in the schools soon organized, General Payne had his early education. Later he graduated from the High School at Waukegan, Ill., and entered the first class of the Law Department of Northwestern University, graduating in 1860 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the Bar the same year.

General Payne's military career in the War of the Rebellion began in April, 1861, when he and two other men of Waukegan raised the first full company of volunteers from Lake County. Payne was elected Second Lieutenant. After a month's service at Springfield, it appeared that the quota of Illinois for the three months' service was full, and that the company would be unable to muster in the United Sates Service under the first call. So the men returned to their homes, only to re-enlist under the next call for volunteers, forming Company C of the 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Payne was chosen Captain. With this command he participated in the battles of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove. In the first named battle, General Payne was wounded, and his beloved younger brother Frederic was struck down by his side and afterwards killed by the Indians under General Pike.

Throughout the Siege of Vicksburgh, Payne was in command, under General Herron, of the rifle pits on the south of the besieged city, and entered Vicksburgh with General Grant only to fall desperately ill as a result of the strain of the preceding months and the malaria he had contracted from the exposure.

He had been promoted to the rank of Major prior to the Battle of Prairie Grove and the Vicksburgh campaign, and was frequently in command of the regiment. After his illness, which lasted many weeks, he returned to duty promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

With General John C. Black, his long time companion in arms General Payne commanded an expedition up the Rio Grande River which was of international importance. At the close of the war he was brevetted Colonel and Brigadier General by the President for brave and meritorious conduct, thus becoming the first soldier of Lake County, Ill., to become a Brigadier General.

From 1866 to 1870 General Payne represented Lake County in the Lower House of the Illinois Legislature, and during his second term served as chairman of the Finance Committee of his Chamber. For several years he resided at Waukegan, and later at Evanston, being actively engaged in the practice of law in Chicago until 1887, when failing health ended his professional career. He and his family then made their home in Cleveland, Ohio, for some time.

The last years of his life were spent in Washington, D. C ,where in 1905 he compiled a “Digest of Decisions of the Department of the Interior in Appealed Pension and Bounty-Land Claims with Annotations,” which was published by the Government and is now in use in the Pension Bureau. He was at work on a comprehensive text-book of Pension Law for the profession when he died.

Eugene was the first cousin of Oliver Hazzard Payne.

Name: Eugene Beauharnais Payne 
Enlisted as a Captain on 1 August 1861 at the age of 26.
State Served: Illinois  
Commission in Company C, 37th Infantry Regiment Illinois on 18 Sep 1861.
Resigned Company C, 37th Infantry Regiment Illinois on 9 Sep 1864.
Highest Rank: Brigadier General  
Birth Date: 1835 
Death Date: 1910 
Birth Place: Seneca Falls, New York 
Army: Union  
Promotions: Promoted to Full 2nd Lieut (Chicago Zouaves IL Inf)
Promoted to Full Captain (37th IL Inf)
Promoted to Full Major on 20 Nov 1862.
Promoted to Full Lieutenant Colonel on 19 Oct 1863.
Promoted to Brevet Colonel on 13 Mar 1865.
Promoted to Brevet Brig-Gen on 13 Mar 1865