Van. H. Manning

Vannoy Hartrog Manning (July 26, 1839 – November 3, 1892) was an American politician and military officer who served as the U.S. representative from Mississippi's 2nd congressional district (1877–1883).

He attended the private school, Horn Lake Male Academy, in De Soto County in the Mississippi Delta.

Reporting on him at Antietam, Confederate General John G. Walker, wrote 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.

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.

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 Third Arkansas had been attached.

He was elected as a Democrat from Mississippi's 2nd congressional district to the Forty-fifth, followed by re-election to the Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh Congresses, serving from March 4, 1877–March 3, 1883.

In 1883 he presented credentials as a Member-elect of 1882 to the Forty-eighth Congress, but was contested by his opponent James R. Chalmers, who had run as an Independent Democrat on a fusion ticket supported by Republicans and Greenbackers.

He died on November 3, 1892, in Prince George's County, Maryland, and was interred in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, D.C.[2] Manning married Mary Z. Wallace of Holly Springs.

Manning during the Civil War
The Grave of Van. H. Manning at Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, D.C.