Owner of famous Macauley Theatre
had fascinating Civil War career

By BRYAN BUSH
Bugle Staff Writer

Louisville’s premiere theater of the late 19th and early 20th century was the Macauley Theatre, which was located on the north side of Walnut, now Muhammad Ali Boulevard between Third and Fourth Street.

Built by the architectural firm of McElfatrick and Sons at the cost of $200,000, the theater opened on Oct. 18, 1873. Although originally run by Bernard Macauley, debts forced him to sell the playhouse to his brother John Macauley.

John turned things around and the theater became a huge success, but only after he experienced a fascinating Civil War career.

Macauley was born Feb. 4, 1846 in Newport and was the son of John and Bridget Macauley. When he was around four years old, his parents moved to Buffalo N.Y., where he lived until the outbreak of the Civil War.

Just before the war erupted, he was one of the first to enlist in a drum corps formed by Company D, 74th regiment, New York State Guards. When the Civil War began in April 1861, Macauley was only 15 years old and traveled to Indianapolis to be with his brother, Daniel, who joined the 11th Indiana Infantry.

John became a drummer boy for the 11th Indiana Infantry, which was trained in Zouave tactics by Union Gen. Lew Wallace, the author of “Ben-Hur.” The 11th Indiana became known as Wallace’s Zouaves and Daniel Macauley became first lieutenant and adjutant for the infantry.

The 11th Indiana was organized at Indianapolis April 21-25, 1861. The regiment moved to Cumberland, Md., saw action at Romney and, on July 29, moved back to Indianapolis and mustered out on Aug. 2. On Aug. 31, the regiment re-enlisted as a three-year regiment and, on Sept. 6, moved to Paducah.

On Feb. 5, 1862, the regiment participated in the operations against Henry and Fort Heiman, and, from Feb. 12-16, participated in the fight and later capture of Fort Donelson. After that battle, the regiment participated in the Battle of Shiloh.

By this time, George McGinnis was promoted to brigadier general, and Daniel Macauley was promoted to regimental colonel. The 11th then participated on the advance on Corinth, then moved to Helena, Ark. On May 1, 1863, the regiment fought at the Battle of Port Gibson and, on May 16, fought at the Battle of Champion’s Hill.

At the Battle of Vicksburg, Daniel was wounded, but recovered in time to serve with the regiment in the Department of the Gulf. The 11th camped in New Orleans until July 19, 1864, then transferred to Washington, D.C.

Daniel Macauley succeeded to the brigade command and the 11th fought at Fisher’s Hill and Daniel was brevetted brigadier general for his action at the Battle of Cedar Creek.

John was promoted to sergeant major and, on May 18, 1864, he was appointed adjutant and, on Feb. 26, 1865, he succeeded Captain N. R. Ruckle as commander and officer of Company C.

John remained in service until the end of the war. But, it would be only in a few years that he would turn his attention to the purchase and management of the theater.

Under John’s direction, the theater hosted such actors as Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtry, Edwin Booth (John Wilkes Booth’s brother), George Cohan and “Buffalo Bill” Cody.

After his death in 1915, the theater continued to promote the city’s best in theatrical performances until 1925. In that year, the theater made way for the expansion of the Starks building at Fourth and Walnut Streets and officially closed Aug. 29. The theater was succeeded by the Brown Theatre on West Broadway next to the Brown Hotel. In 1972, the Brown Theatre was rededicated as the Macauley Theatre. In 1997, the Macauley changed its name to the W. L. Lyons Brown Theatre and is now operated by the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

John Macauley is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.