Henry Blackstone Banning

A practicing lawyer at Mount Vernon, Ohio since 1857, he enlisted as Private (April 1861) then was appointed Captain (5 June) in the 4th Ohio Infantry. On 25 June 1862 he was appointed Colonel of the 3-month 87th Ohio Infantry.

He was in command of the 87th Ohio along the upper Potomac between Sandy Hook and the mouth of the Monocacy during the first week of September, then, with the Regiment, was captured at Harpers Ferry on the 15th.

He honorably mustered out in October. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 125th Ohio Infantry on 1 January 1863, transferring to the 121st in April. He was promoted Colonel of the Regiment on 10 November. He saw action with his regiment at Chickamauga and was Provost Marshall at Nashville. He resigned his commission on 1 January 1865.

He was breveted Brigadier and Major General, U.S.V on 13 March 1865 for his War service.

He was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives in 1866 and 1867. He then moved to Cincinnati in 1869 and practiced law. He was elected to the US Congress (serving 1873-1879) - defeating future President Rutherford B. Hayes for the seat in 1872 - but was an unsuccesful candidate for reelection in 1878 and 1880.

Basic information from his Congressional Biography,1 service details fron the OR.2

Photograph above is from one posted online and attributed to Matthew Brady by the Eastman House, Rochester, NY from their collection. Date unknown.

11/10/1836; Bannings Mills (Knox County), OH

12/10/1881; Cincinnati, OH; burial in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, OH