Manning Ferguson Force was born in Washington, D.C., on December 17, 1824. His father, Peter Force, was the city’s mayor. Force turned down an appointment to West Point in order to attend Harvard College, and he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1848. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1849 and began work as a lawyer.

 

Force enlisted in the Union army in 1861 and received a commission as a major in the 20^th Ohio Infantry Regiment. Force took part in the Siege of Vicksburg, the Atlanta campaign, and General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Atlanta and received a brevet promotion to major general for his valor during the battle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1892.

 

Force returned to Cincinnati after the war and resumed his legal practice. He eventually became a justice on the Superior Court of Cincinnati. He died in Cincinnati on May 8, 1899, and was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.

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