Van H. Manning
Encyclopedia
Vannoy Hartrog Manning (July 26, 1839 – November 3, 1892) was a U.S. Representative
from Mississippi
and an officer in the Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia
during the American Civil War
.
, Manning moved with his parents to Mississippi in 1841. He attended Horn Lake Male Academy in De Soto County, Mississippi, where he married Mary Wallace of Holly Springs, Mississippi
. He later attended the University of Nashville
in Tennessee, where he studied law. He moved to Arkansas
in 1860, where, in January, 1861, he and his wife suffered through the death of their first born son. He was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1861 and commenced practice in Hamburg
.
recruited and organized the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, drawing from soldiers recruited in Ashley, Drew, Union, Dallas and Hot Spring counties. The regiment made up a total of eleven companies, and included one company of recruits from other parts of Arkansas as well as recruits from Tennessee
and Kentucky
. The regiment was then marched to Vicksburg, Mississippi
, where they were initially turned down for service as a part of the Confederate Army. Manning then enlisted the assistance of Arkansas politician Albert Rust
, and the regiment was accepted as part of the Confederate Army, with Rust appointed as colonel, and sent to Lynchburg, Virginia
for training. The 3rd Arkansas was then assigned to General Robert E. Lee
's Army of Northern Virginia
, after which it took part in almost every major eastern battle.
Tebbs and Manning both served as captains, and subsequently Manning was promoted to colonel
of the 3rd Arkansas following Rust being promoted to Brigadier General
. Manning received battle wounds at the battles of Antietam
(Sharpsburg), Gettysburg
and The Wilderness
. Manning's reputation for heroism in battle was well known, and in official reports he was recognized for his actions during the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg.
The report from his actions at Antietam, filed by Confederate General John G. Walker, and submitted to General James Longstreet
, read as follows;
"Colonel Manning, with the 46th and 48th North Carolina and 30th Virginia, not content with possession of the woods, dashed forward in gallant style, crossed the open fields beyond, driving the enemy back before him like sheep, until, arriving at a long line of strong post and rail fences, behind which heavy masses of the enemies infantry were lying, their advance was checked, and it being impossible to climb these fences under such fire, these regiments, after suffering a heavy loss, were compelled to fall back..."
"Just before the falling back of these regiments, the gallant Colonel Manning was severely wounded and was compelled to leave the field, relinquishing the command of the brigade to the next rank, Colonel E.D. Hall, of the 46th North Carolina Regiment."
"...The division suffered heavily, particularly Manning's command (Walker's Brigade), which at one time sustained almost the whole fire of the enemies right wing. Going into the engagement, as it was necessary for us to do, to support the sorely pressed divisions of Hood and Early, it was, of course, impossible to make dispositions based upon careful reconnaissance of the localities. The post and rail fences stretching across the fields lying between us and the enemies position, I regard as the fatal obstacle to complete our success on the left, and success there would be, doubtless, have changed the fate of the day. Of the existence of this obstacle none of my division had any previous knowledge, and we learned it at the expense of many valuable lives."
Manning was later commended again for gallantry, during the Battle of Gettysburg, by Brigadier General Jerome B. Robertson
of the Texas Brigade
, to which the 3rd Arkansas had been attached. In that action, Robertson's brigade had been ordered forward to attack and secure Devil's Den
. The 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas regiments, alongside the 3rd Arkansas, did so at great cost, taking heavy casualties but securing their objective. Robertson gave much of the credit for this success to Manning's leadership in the field. Manning was wounded toward the end of that engagement, after helping his regiment hold under overwhelming odds. He was later wounded for his third time and captured during the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia in 1864. Manning was held as a prisoner of war
by Union
forces from the time of his capture until the end of the war. When the war ended, only 144 of his 3rd Arkansas soldiers remained out of 1,353 mustered into it from the start of the war.
. Manning was elected as a Democrat
to the Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1877–March 3, 1883). He resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
, in 1883. In 1884 he presented credentials as a Member-elect to the Forty-eighth Congress but did not qualify, and on June 25, 1884, the seat was awarded to James R. Chalmers, who had contested his election. Manning then resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
, in 1883. He died in Branchville, Maryland, and was interred in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and an officer in the Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early life
Born near Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, Manning moved with his parents to Mississippi in 1841. He attended Horn Lake Male Academy in De Soto County, Mississippi, where he married Mary Wallace of Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
. He later attended the University of Nashville
University of Nashville
The University of Nashville was an educational institution that existed as a distinct entity from 1826 until 1909. During its history, it operated at various times a medical school, a four-year military college, a literary arts college, and a boys preparatory school...
in Tennessee, where he studied law. He moved to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
in 1860, where, in January, 1861, he and his wife suffered through the death of their first born son. He was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1861 and commenced practice in Hamburg
Hamburg, Arkansas
Hamburg is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,039 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Ashley County.-Geography:...
.
Service during the Civil War
In May 1861, Manning and Dr. W.H. TebbsWilliam H. Tebbs
William Henry Tebbs was a Confederate Army lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War, best known for having been a driving force behind the recruitment and organization of the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, which would become one of the most distinguished and respected Confederate...
recruited and organized the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, drawing from soldiers recruited in Ashley, Drew, Union, Dallas and Hot Spring counties. The regiment made up a total of eleven companies, and included one company of recruits from other parts of Arkansas as well as recruits from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The regiment was then marched to Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, where they were initially turned down for service as a part of the Confederate Army. Manning then enlisted the assistance of Arkansas politician Albert Rust
Albert Rust
Albert Rust was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas, and a delegate to the Provisional Confederate Congress...
, and the regiment was accepted as part of the Confederate Army, with Rust appointed as colonel, and sent to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
for training. The 3rd Arkansas was then assigned to General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
, after which it took part in almost every major eastern battle.
Tebbs and Manning both served as captains, and subsequently Manning was promoted to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 3rd Arkansas following Rust being promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
. Manning received battle wounds at the battles of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
(Sharpsburg), Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
and The Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
. Manning's reputation for heroism in battle was well known, and in official reports he was recognized for his actions during the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg.
The report from his actions at Antietam, filed by Confederate General John G. Walker, and submitted to General James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
, read as follows;
"Colonel Manning, with the 46th and 48th North Carolina and 30th Virginia, not content with possession of the woods, dashed forward in gallant style, crossed the open fields beyond, driving the enemy back before him like sheep, until, arriving at a long line of strong post and rail fences, behind which heavy masses of the enemies infantry were lying, their advance was checked, and it being impossible to climb these fences under such fire, these regiments, after suffering a heavy loss, were compelled to fall back..."
"Just before the falling back of these regiments, the gallant Colonel Manning was severely wounded and was compelled to leave the field, relinquishing the command of the brigade to the next rank, Colonel E.D. Hall, of the 46th North Carolina Regiment."
"...The division suffered heavily, particularly Manning's command (Walker's Brigade), which at one time sustained almost the whole fire of the enemies right wing. Going into the engagement, as it was necessary for us to do, to support the sorely pressed divisions of Hood and Early, it was, of course, impossible to make dispositions based upon careful reconnaissance of the localities. The post and rail fences stretching across the fields lying between us and the enemies position, I regard as the fatal obstacle to complete our success on the left, and success there would be, doubtless, have changed the fate of the day. Of the existence of this obstacle none of my division had any previous knowledge, and we learned it at the expense of many valuable lives."
Manning was later commended again for gallantry, during the Battle of Gettysburg, by Brigadier General Jerome B. Robertson
Jerome B. Robertson
Jerome Bonaparte Robertson was a doctor, Indian fighter, Texas politician, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
of the Texas Brigade
Texas Brigade
The Texas Brigade, also often referred to as Hood's Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Confederate States Army that distinguished itself for its fierce tenacity and fighting capability during the American Civil War.-Organization:...
, to which the 3rd Arkansas had been attached. In that action, Robertson's brigade had been ordered forward to attack and secure Devil's Den
Devil's Den
Devils Den is a boulder-strewn Gettysburg Battlefield hill used by artillery and infantry during the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Second Day...
. The 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas regiments, alongside the 3rd Arkansas, did so at great cost, taking heavy casualties but securing their objective. Robertson gave much of the credit for this success to Manning's leadership in the field. Manning was wounded toward the end of that engagement, after helping his regiment hold under overwhelming odds. He was later wounded for his third time and captured during the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia in 1864. Manning was held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
forces from the time of his capture until the end of the war. When the war ended, only 144 of his 3rd Arkansas soldiers remained out of 1,353 mustered into it from the start of the war.
Entry into politics
After the war, Manning resumed the practice of law in Holly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
. Manning was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1877–March 3, 1883). He resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1883. In 1884 he presented credentials as a Member-elect to the Forty-eighth Congress but did not qualify, and on June 25, 1884, the seat was awarded to James R. Chalmers, who had contested his election. Manning then resumed the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1883. He died in Branchville, Maryland, and was interred in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, D.C.