Great granduncle of Cornelia Bush
George W. Bush was born 17 May 1839 at the family farm at Nanticoke, Broome County, New York. He was the eldest son of George W. Bush, Sr. and his wife Sophia (Spencer) Bush. His siblings included George C. Bush, Jonas P. Bush and Marcene Bush. The first two also served in the war.
George W. Bush, Jr., enlisted in Co E, 76 NY Infantry on 17 July 1863 at Nanticoke, New York. Following a training period, he probably joined the regiment before the Bristoe Campaign in October of that year. At that time the 76th NY was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps. The 1st Corps was the trailing Corps when MG George C. Meade ordered the Army of the Potomac (AoP) toward Mine Run late November that year. The 1st Corps was positioned across the Orange Turnpike from Robinson’s Tavern during the Campaign.
Following the 1863-1864 winter encampment of the Army of the Potomac near Culpeper, Virginia, Rice’s 1st Brigade, Cutler’s Division (including the 76th NY Inf) was reassigned to the 5th Corps under the command of MG Gouveneur K. Warren. The 5th Corps was the lead Corps when the AoP broke camp on the 4th of May 1864 headed for the Germanna crossing of the Rapidan River and the Wilderness. (?lead element in the march?) The Corps camped on the Ellwood Manor grounds that evening.
The following morning Warren divided his four Divisions sending Wadsworth’s Division with Rice’s Brigade (including the 76th NY) south along the Parker Store Road (a cart path through the heavy brush). The 76th, then assigned to Rice’s Brigade, engaged Confederate General Ambrose P. Hill’s forces over the two days of the battle along the Orange Plank Road. Unit records show that Pvt George W. “Jay” Bush died on May 6th in the Wilderness woods. There is no record of his body being recovered from those woods.