Henry Blackstone Banning (November 10, 1836 – December 10, 1881) was a lawyer and three-term

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, as well as an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

Early life and career

Born in Bannings Mills, Ohio, Banning attended the Clinton district school, Mount Vernon Academy, and

Kenyon College Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio. It was founded in 1824 by Philander Chase. Kenyon College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Kenyon has 1,708 undergraduates enrolled. Its 1,000-acre campus is ...

, Gambier, Ohio, where he stayed a short time before returning to Mount Vernon to study law in the office of ''Hosmer, Curtis & Devin''. Reid 1895 : 829 He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1857 and commenced practice in

Mount Vernon, Ohio Mount Vernon is a city in Knox County, Ohio, United States. It is located northeast of Columbus. The population was 16,990 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. History The community was platted in 1805, and named after M ...

Civil War service

With the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in April 1861 in the Union Army as a private. He was commissioned as a captain in Company B of the

4th Ohio Infantry The 4th Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater in a number of campaigns and battles, but perhaps is most noted for its actions in helping secure Cemetery H ...

, on June 5, 1861. He served as

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

of the 87th Ohio Infantry (a three-month regiment), June 10-September 20, 1862. Banning was honorably mustered out October 4, 1862. He reenlisted and was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 125th Ohio Infantry on January 1, 1863. He transferred to the 121st Ohio Infantry on April 5, 1863, being promoted to colonel of that regiment on November 10, 1863. He took part in the battles of Rich Mountain, Romney, Blue Gap, Winchester, Cross Keys, Chickamauga, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Rome, Kennesaw Mountain, Dallas, Peachtree Creek, Jonesboro, and Nashville.

Postbellum career

He resigned from the army on January 21, 1865, to return home to Ohio. On January 16, 1866,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Andrew Johnson nominated Banning for appointment to the grade of brevet

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866. On February 21, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Banning for appointment to the grade of brevet major general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 26, 1866.Eicher, 2001, p. 710. Banning served as member of the State House of Representatives in 1866 and 1867. He moved to

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, in 1869 and resumed the practice of law. He was elected as a Liberal Republican to the Forty-third Congress and as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the

Forty-fourth Congress The 44th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1875, ...

and

Forty-fifth Congress The 45th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1877, ...

, serving from (March 4, 1873 until March 3, 1879). He served as chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs in the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1878 to the Forty-sixth Congress, and for election in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress. He then returned to his legal practice in Cincinnati. Henry Banning died in Cincinnati on December 10, 1881. He was interred in

Spring Grove Cemetery Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum () is a nonprofit rural cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the third largest cemetery in the United States, after the Calverton National Cemetery and Abraham ...

. He is buried not far from his brother-in-law, fellow former Civil War general Byron Kirby.

Namesake

Camp 207, Ohio Sons of Union Veterans, was founded in 1903 and named in General Banning's honor and memory. It is still active in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Banning was inducted to the Ohio Veteran's Hall of Fame in November 2004 by Ohio Governor

Bob Taft Robert Alphonso Taft III (born January 8, 1942) is an American politician and attorney, who served as the 67th governor of Ohio from 1999 to 2007 as a member of the Republican Party. A member of the Taft political dynasty, Taft served first in ...

. The Hall of Fame recognizes Buckeyes who continue to contribute to their community, state, and nation after their military service. In 1868 he married Ida Kirby of Cincinnati, and had four children. Knox County 1902 : 171

Notes

References

Retrieved on 2008-02-12 * Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * *

External links

Camp Banning SUV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banning, Henry Blackstone 1836 births 1881 deaths People of Ohio in the American Civil War Union Army generals Kenyon College alumni People from Knox County, Ohio Burials at Spring Grove Cemetery Members of the Ohio House of Representatives Ohio Liberal Republicans Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio Politicians from Cincinnati Ohio lawyers Liberal Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers