George Earl Maney

George Earl Maney. August 24, 1826 - February 9, 1901. Maney's grave is located about 75 feet up the hill under a cedar tree., The Maneys were French Huguenots. They lived in the seaport town of Meschers where they witnessed the migration of Huguenots escaping Catholic persecution. The Maneys first migrated to New York, but his family moved to North Carolina in 1729. Four Maney brothers moved to Tennessee in 1825., Maney was born in Franklin. His boyhood home remains there, at 118 Third Avenue N. In 1845 he graduated from the University of Nashville, which later became Peabody. By 1846 Maney had enlisted for service in the Mexican War. After mustering out he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1850. He married Bettie Crutcher in 1853., The April 15, 1861 U.S. call for volunteers to invade the Confederate States dissipated loyalties to the national government in most of Tennessee. On May 7 the state formed an alliance with the C.S.A. for defense. The following day Maney was elected colonel of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment. Tennessee voters approved secession in June., General B.F. Cheatham allowed Maney to select regiments for an attack on the “Hornet's Nest” at Shiloh. Maney led his own 1st Tennessee, and the 9th and 19th. One reason Maney's attack succeeded when others failed is he had his men lie down before U.S. troops fired a volley, which then went over them. Cheatham described his attack as brilliant and decisive, and it earned Maney's promotion to brigadier general. Later in 1862, Cheatham called on Maney to take another tough position at Perryville, Kentucky. They flanked the U.S. line capturing 7 cannons and killing at least 2 Ú.S. generals. Cheatham said Maney's attack was “the most exciting few moments of my life.” Maney's Brigade fought at Murfreesborough where the U.S. Army suffered their highest casualty rate of the war. In 1863 Maney's Brigade fought at Chickamauga, Georgia and Missionary Ridge., The Atlanta Campaign was Maney's last active campaign. Maney's Brigade distinguished itself holding the “Dead Angle” at Kennesaw Mountain (June 1864). Sam Watkins of the 1st Tennessee wrote, “The ground was piled up with one solid mass of dead and wounded Yankees.” After Jonesborough (Sept. 1864) Maney was certified disabled. He did not command troops again, and was paroled in North Carolina on May 1, 1865., Postbellum, Maney was president of the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad. He also held diplomatic posts in Columbia, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay.