Henry Blackstone Banning

By James Barnett

Originally published in Cincinnati CWRT Newsletter, April 1968

©Cincinnati CWRT, 2008

Henry Blackstone Banning was born Nov. 10, 1836 at Banning Mills, Ohio. He was graduated from Kenyon College, and started the practice of law in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in 1857. At the outbreak of the Civil War he volunteered as a private but soon was elected captain of a company of the 4th Ohio Volunteers. He served in this capacity in western Virginia and took part in the battles of Rich Mountain, Romney, Blue Gap, Winchester and Cross Keys. His superiors recommended him for promotion and he was sent back to Columbus where he was made colonel of the 87th Ohio. He was then transferred to the 125th Ohio and then to command of the 121st Ohio. He led this regiment with skill and gallantry on Horseshoe Ridge during the battle of Chickamauga. He was highly praised by Gen. Gordon S. Granger who said, "As much as to any other man, is owing the remarkable obstinacy with which two brigades . for more than seven hours held the key of the position on the battlefield."

He commanded his regiment commendably during Sherman's Atlanta campaign taking part in the battles of Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Rome, Kenesaw Mountain, Dallas, Peachtree Creek and Jonesboro. He then commanded his regiment ably during the battle of Nashville. For this and many other past battles, he was brevetted a brigadier general and then a major general of volunteers.

Gen. Banning resigned Jan. 21, 1865 to take his seat as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. In 1869 he moved to Cincinnati and established a law practice. He was elected a member of the U. S. Congress serving in the Forty-third, Forty-fourth, and Forty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1873-March 3, 1879). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1878 and for election in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress. He resumed his law (practice), and died at the age of 47 in Cincinnati, Dec. 10, 1881 and was buried in Spring Grove cemetery.

Spring Grove Cemetery burial card for Henry Banning (http://www.springgrove.org/sg/genealogy/stats/36617.tif.pdf).