Mahlon Dickerson Manson

Mahlon Dickerson Manson was born February 20, 1820, in Piqua, Ohio. He received a common school education and later moved to Montgomery County, Indiana where he taught school for a year. He briefly studied medicine in Cincinnati at the Ohio Medical College. From October 8, 1847 to July 28, 1848, he served as captain of the 5th Indiana Volunteers in the Mexican War. He was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1851-1852 and was a druggist in Crawfordsville. Manson was mustered into service April 17, 1861, as captain of the 10th Indiana and promoted to colonel the following month. He led the regiment at the battle of Rich Mountain in July 1861 and the following January commanded a brigade at Fishing Creek, Kentucky in the defeat of Confederate General F. K. Zollicoffer. He was promoted to brigadier general March 24, 1862. Colonel Manson was wounded and captured October 30, 1862, in Richmond after his horse took a bullet to the head and rolled on top of him, and he was not exchanged until December. Upon his return to the field, he faced General John Pegram who was plundering beef cattle. Manson commanded the XXIII Corps in Knoxville and a brigade of Cox’s division of the corps (now the Army of Ohio) in the Atlanta campaign. On May 14, 1864, he was severely wounded by the explosion of a shell near Resaca, Georgia. Unable to return to service, he resigned December 21, 1864. Mahlon Dickerson Manson was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana in 1864. He served in Congress from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873, but was defeated in his attempt for re-election. He was elected auditor of Indiana in 1878, Lieutenant Governor in 1884, and was appointed collector of internal revenue of the seventh district of Indiana on August 11, 1886. He resigned that position November 5, 1889. Manson died February 4, 1895, in Crawfordsville and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.

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