In 1791 Manners was promoted to captain of his own company in the 3rd Foot Guards [12] and served with the 1st Battalion of the regiment in the first Flanders campaign.[2] He was granted the brevet rank of Colonel on 1 March 1794. [2][13] In the second campaign in Flanders, he was appointed to the light company, which was formed into a battalion with the four grenadier companies. He commanded the four light infantry companies at the Battle of Tourcoing on 17 May 1794, where he was wounded at the storming of Mouvaux. He was at every subsequent action of the Guards Brigade during the campaign except Boxtel, when he was detached on a month's hospital duty.[2] He was promoted second major in the 3rd Foot Guards on 1 April 1795,[2][14] and major-general in the Army on 3 May 1796,[2][15] when he was placed on the staff of the Eastern District. He then commanded the 9th Brigade during the expedition to Holland in 1799.[2]
Manners died on 9 June 1823 at his house in Curzon Street and was buried, with his parents, at the church of St. Mary the Virgin at Bloxholm; the chancel and porch had been erected by Manners in 1812.[22][23]
Manners left Bloxholm to his brother George, High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, in 1826, whose death occurred in 1828. Both brothers had died unmarried, so George left the estate to their dearest cousin, Mrs Jenney. She was the daughter of John, second Duke of Rutland, and sister of Lord Robert Manners, the father of Robert and George, making her their first cousin, once removed. However, Lady Mary Bruce (her husband being Robert Nisbet-Hamilton, who changed his surname from Christopher), who was the brothers’ great niece and eldest daughter of the 7th Earl of Elgin, contested the will, saying George had changed his will in her favour, and took the matter to court. A relative of the brothers wrote to the Editor of the Stamford Mercury on 26 March 1841[24] making it very clear that the family knew George wanted Bloxholm to go to Mrs Jenney, writing: for it is the opinion of all who are acquainted with the circumstances, that the testator would never have altered had he been in the full possession of his faculties. The matter was settled in favour of Lady Mary Bruce.[25]
^"No. 11948". The London Gazette. 26–30 January 1779. p. 1.
^"No. 12020". The London Gazette. 5–9 October 1779. p. 2.
^"No. 12400". The London Gazette. 24–28 December 1782. p. 2.
^ abcR.O. Bucholz (2006). "Index of officers: Ma". Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 11 (revised): Court Officers, 1660-1837. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
^"No. 12536". The London Gazette. 20–24 April 1784. p. 3.a.
^"No. 12832". The London Gazette. 20–24 February 1787. p. 94.