People Lew Knew: Mahlon D. Manson, Crawfordsville General

On April 22, 1861, Oliver P. Morton, Governor of the State of Indiana and Commander in Chief of the Militia signed the enrollment paper for Mahlon D. Manson as Captain of the Crawfordsville Guards. This enrollment was countersigned by Lew Wallace. Before, during and after the Civil War, the lives of Mahlon Manson and Lew Wallace intersected many times.

Manson was born in Piqua, Ohio, about 1820. His father died when Manson was three years old. As a young man, he became a clerk in a druggist store and continued to pursue that profession. In 1842, he moved to Montgomery County, Indiana, where he taught school and pursued a medical degree by attending classes at the Ohio Medical School in Cincinnati and by taking a course or two in New Orleans. Although he pursued a medical degree, it appears he never practiced medicine and instead continued his career as a druggist.

Like Lew Wallace, when the Mexican War broke out Manson volunteered for service. Unlike Wallace, Manson saw significant action in General Winfield Scott’s campaign from Vera Cruz to Mexico City. After the War, Manson returned to Montgomery County and resumed his career as a druggist. Again like Wallace, he became heavily involved in the Democratic Party and in 1851 was elected to the State House of Representatives. In 1856, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention that nominated James Buchanan and John Breckinridge. He continued his support of the Democratic Party in 1860 when he supported Stephen A. Douglas for President.

When War broke out in 1861, he took an active part in raising the first company in Montgomery County under Lew Wallace.  Company G of the 10th Indiana selected Manson as Captain. He was quickly promoted to Major and just ten days later to Colonel. In June 1861, he participated in the Battle of Rich Mountain in (West) Virginia and in January of 1862 he was involved in the Battle of Mill Spring (Kentucky). His troops then removed to Louisville, Kentucky, and for much of the spring and early summer he remained in the area, receiving a promotion to Brigadier General.

In 19th century biographies that praised Brigadier General Mahlon Manson, some authors skipped over aspects of his military career. One battle that some early biographers minimized was the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky. Kentucky was a border state during the War and Indiana Governor Morton was deeply concerned about the possibility of losing Kentucky to the Confederates. In the summer of 1862, rumors began circulating about a large Confederate army massing near Knoxville and Chattanooga. By late August, Morton had rushed almost 15,000 men into Kentucky with another 5,000 on the way. General Don Carlos Buell, who had served at the Battle of Shiloh with Lew Wallace, was in charge of the district that included central Kentucky and sent Major General William Nelson along with Brigadier Generals Mahlon Manson and Charles Cruft to take command of the Union troops that were massing in Kentucky. Unfortunately, Buell didn’t send any significant troop support as he believed this Confederate threat was a ruse and that their true aim was to regain parts of Tennessee lost after Shiloh.

On August 29, the Confederate cavalry moving north in Kentucky encountered Union troops. Manson was in charge of the Union army in the area of Richmond. On August 30, after some early Union success, the Confederates began to take control of the field of battle. Out of a force of approximately 6,500 Union men, 206 were killed, 844 were wounded and 4,303 were taken prisoner. In contrast the Confederates saw 78 men killed, 372 wounded, and 1 missing. As some historians have reported, the Battle of Richmond was the closest thing to a battle of annihilation in the entire war. Manson was one of the Union men wounded (in the thigh) and captured. He was exchanged in a prisoner swap two months later. The few Union troops left after the battle fled to Louisville leaving much of central Kentucky and Cincinnati open and vulnerable—enter Lew Wallace.

Some of Manson's items on display at Richmond, KY
Photo by Stephanie Cain

With the catastrophic Union defeat the Confederate army was poised within about eighty miles of both Louisville and Cincinnati. Wallace, who was in the area, was asked to take command of the troops in Cincinnati and prepare the basically defenseless city for a likely Confederate attack. Wallace’s extraordinary organizational skills and military acumen served him well and within about ten days, he had transformed the defensive perimeter around Cincinnati as well as Newport and Covington, Kentucky. After a brief skirmish with the troops of Confederate General Henry Heth, on September 11, Wallace awoke on the 12th to the news that that the Confederates had withdrawn and Cincinnati had been saved from invasion.

In spite of his stunning defeat at Richmond, Manson’s military career was not over and he continued to serve as a Union leader. In May of 1864, he was involved in the Battle at Resaca (part of the Atlanta campaign) where he was again wounded. In an effort to demonstrate to General Haskell how he might best avoid enemy fire, Manson jumped up on the defensive works and was struck by a piece of shell that injured his right shoulder, forever disabling his arm. He was carried from the field, returned to duty a few days later and then had to be taken to Nashville where he was hospitalized for almost three months. Realizing that he would not be able to be fully effective, he resigned his commission in December of 1864.

The lives of Manson and Wallace would continue to influence one another. As a result of the Battle of Richmond, the Buell Commission was formed to inquire into Major General Don Carolos Buell’s performance with respect to the invasion of Kentucky. Buell was Manson’s superior who placed Manson in command, but failed to send significant troop support. Wallace was appointed chair of this commission which effectively removed Wallace from battle command for the balance of 1862 and much of 1863.

After the war, Manson continued his active involvement in the Democratic Party. In 1864, he was nominated for Lt. Governor, but lost. In 1866, he was nominated for Secretary of State, but lost. Then in 1868, he was nominated for as Representative of the 9th District in Congress—and again, lost. In 1870, he was nominated as Representative a second time, and he won—defeating Lew Wallace!

At this time, Manson also served on the Committee on Invalid Pensions. In 1873, he became a member of the State Democratic Committee, became its chairman in 1875 and was in an official capacity lobbying on behalf of Democratic interests in the controversial election of 1876 where Wallace represented Republican interests. In 1876, he was elected State Auditor and in 1884 elected Lt. Governor. He resigned his post as Lt. Governor to accept a post as a Collector of the Internal Revenue Service in Terre Haute.

Beyond their political intersections, Manson and Wallace would have crossed paths in other ways. The Mansons and Wallaces were both members of the Methodist Church in Crawfordsville, both men were members of the Grand Army of the Republic and the local Masonic Lodge, both were involved with the building of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis and finally, both were laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery.

The parallels in the lives of Manson and Wallace, two of Crawfordsville’s five Civil War generals, are striking. Even the closing comments of one 19th century Manson biographer would equally describe Wallace.

"An eloquent orator, he commands the attention, convinces the reason, arouses the enthusiasm and awakens the zeal of his hearers. A brave and gallant soldier, a prudent and conscientious statesman, a public spirited citizen, a faithful friend, an honest man in business, and a true man in all the relations of life, it is not surprising that he holds a high position in the esteem and affection of the people of the State. He rose from poverty to justly deserved eminence and the bright light which beats upon his life discovers no flaw in his character. Not by accident or aid of others, but by earnest toil, constant perseverance, through smoke and blood of battle, he has attained success in life, military glory, political and social popularity and the love and honor of his fellow-citizens. Such men as he make all men their debtors."

A Look Back: The Tribe of Ben-Hur

Of all of the many products, places, and institutions to carry the name Ben-Hur, perhaps none was more successful than the Tribe of Ben-Hur. Lew Wallace never belonged to this fraternal benefit organization, but he gave the enterprise his blessing in the early 1890s and was close friends with many of the founding members.

Headquartered in Crawfordsville for generations, the Ben-Hur Life Association was created by David W. Gerard in 1894. David Gerard had been born on a farm in Shelby County, Ohio in 1844. His family moved to Romney where his father, Abner, died when David was just five years old. His mother and brothers returned to Ohio where they struggled to make ends meet. By the age of 16, David was teaching school and by the age of 17 he was fighting in the Civil War. After serving for four years he returned to this area and taught school in Wingate (although it was called Pleasant Hill in his day). He met and married Elizabeth Krug and together they established their lives here.

Wallace and Gerard had already crossed paths at least twice by 1865. When David Gerard’s father died, Lew Wallace was a young attorney living in Covington. Wallace was called to help settle Abner Gerard’s meager estate. While Wallace remembered the family, at age five, David Gerard was too young to remember this initial meeting. Their lives crossed paths again during the Civil War.

Throughout the 1870s and 1880s as the economy prospered, Gerard kept thinking about establishing a fraternal insurance agency where the members would take care of their own. In 1893, Gerard and a small group of friends determined that in establishing such an agency, Wallace’s Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, would provide not only name recognition, but also a rich background from which they could develop the secret rituals and elaborate hierarchy that fraternal groups in the late 19^th century were so fond of.

The group met with Wallace who readily gave his consent and assisted them in getting permission from Harper & Brothers to use the name of Ben-Hur and portions of the book. According to tradition Wallace even suggested the name Tribe of Ben-Hur as tribes were the organizational structure at the time of Christ. On January 9, 1894, papers were filed with the Secretary of State in Indianapolis. Early leaders in the Tribe included Gerard, Frank L. Snyder, S.E. Voris, Dr. J.F. Davidson, and John C. Snyder.

The first session of the Tribe, or grand conclave, as it was known locally was held on January 16, 1894. More organizational meetings followed and on Thursday, March 1, 1894 the community celebrated Ben Hur gala day. The town was filled to capacity with people from far and wide and by the end of the gala, 422 individuals had become charter members of the Simonides Court Number 1. The Tribe was unusual in its day as it allowed both men and women to join, and within in a few years had made provisions for children to be included in the benefits program.

Gerard was widely recognized as an organizational genius and within two years there were more than 5,000 members in the Tribe of Ben-Hur and “Courts” had been established in a dozen states from California to New York. The tribe was initially housed in an upstairs room of a downtown building called the Thomas Block, but the organization soon built their first Supreme building. Then 99 years ago in 1912/13, the Tribe built the ornate white terra cotta five-story building that has become a landmark on the corner of Main and Water Streets. 

While The Tribe of Ben-Hur continued to be based in Crawfordsville, it grew far beyond the confines of Montgomery County and it prospered. During the Great Depression when other insurance agencies and fraternal organizations were failing, the management of the Tribe was such that it continued to grow, astutely purchasing the resources of failing groups. Many of the founding members stayed with the Tribe until their dying day. This was true of D.W. Gerard who served as the Supreme Chief until his passing on January 3, 1910.

Ultimately, changing times and economies did affect the Tribe of Ben Hur and in the 1980s after 90 years of service, the fundamental nature of the organization was changed as it became known as USA Life Insurance Company of Indiana.  In 1988, the rituals, offices, obligations, and fraternal nature of this group inspired by Lew Wallace’s book quietly (and sadly for some in Crawfordsville) slipped into history.

Maurice Thompson: North vs. South Hunting With Lew Wallace

In the late 19th century, Crawfordsville became known as the Athens of Indiana because of the impressive number of successful authors who claimed Crawfordsville home. At the same time it was also known as the archery capital of the United States. Maurice Thompson was a celebrated leader in both of these seemingly unrelated worlds.

Thompson was born in Indiana but grew up in Georgia. Like Lew Wallace, Maurice learned best in the out of doors; not in the classroom. Like Lew, Maurice served in the Civil War; although in the Confederate army. Like Lew, Maurice tried many careers with varying degrees of success; working as a railroad man, civil engineer, surveyor, naturalist, geologist, soldier, lawyer, politician, novelist, poet, and sportsman. And finally, like Lew, Maurice had strong creative talents. With all of his careers and interests, Maurice Thompson is best remembered as a novelist and sportsman.

For reasons unknown Maurice Thompson moved to Crawfordsville in 1868, quickly followed by his brother, Will. Maurice soon met and married Alice Lee of Crawfordsville and his brother married Alice’s sister. Beginning in the 1870s, a number of Maurice’s essays, articles and publications began receiving broad public acclaim. He is most widely remembered for two works, Alice of Old Vincennes, which was published in 1900, shortly before his death in 1901 and The Witchery of Archery, published in 1878.

An avid outdoorsman Thompson, together with his brother Will, developed a passion for bow hunting and archery. In the 1870s and 1880s, four Crawfordsville men made up the top archery team in the country with Maurice and Will Thompson as two of the men (the others were Henry Talbot and Paul Hughes). The Thompson brothers were also individual champions. The men bow hunted game in the countryside, had contests with archers from surrounding states and even challenged Lew Wallace.

One of the more memorable events in Crawfordsville’s sporting history happened when Thompson and two of his Confederate friends who were visiting Crawfordsville challenged Lew Wallace and two of his Union friends to a competition. Thompson’s team used bows while Wallace and his team used rifles. In this North versus South, bows versus rifles shooting match—the Southern bows won! By all accounts the six marksmen enjoyed the event as “a day’s excellent sport.”

With the Thompson brothers’ national reputations and Maurice’s writing on the sport, Crawfordsville enjoyed the undisputed title as archery capital of the country. The national archery association was formed in Crawfordsville and the first meeting of the association was held here in 1879. As the national craze for bow hunting caught on two local women, Mrs. Alice Klein and Mrs. William Lee, gained fame as they won state and regional contests.

With the significant parallels in their lives, Wallace and Thompson shared a long and strong friendship. They were even neighbors as the impressive Thompson home, Sherwood Place, was within sight of the Wallace Home. Called “The Father of Archery,” Thompson is credited with popularizing sport in the late 19th century and in 1939, the National Archery Association named their highest honor for outstanding members of the archery community the Maurice Thompson Award.