Henry Martin Binney

Raised in Cambridge, he married and moved to Somerville, Massachusetts in 1853. He was a State militiaman from 1850, and enlisted in the 5th Massachusetts for three months on 15 April 1861 at the start of the War. They were in Federal service at Washington DC in May, and he first saw action near Centreville, Virginia on 18 July. He was at First Bull Run on the 27th, and mustered out at the end of their term on 1 August 1861.

In September he enrolled in Company D, Tenth Maine Infantry as Second Lieutenant, mustering into Federal service on 4 October 1861. They saw service in the Railroad Brigade along the Baltimore & Ohio railroad under Colonel Dixon Miles. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General (AAG) and detailed as aide to Colonel Miles in February 1862, and promoted to First Lieutenant in June 1862.

Aide on Colonel Miles staff at Harpers Ferry, he was captured and paroled with the rest of the garrison in the surrender of 15 September 1862.

He testified at the Hearings on the Surrender, and was dismissed from the service on 21 December 1862. However, he got another appointment, as aide-de-camp to Major General Wool, serving with him to the end of the term of the Tenth Maine. He mustered out with the Regiment and returned to Somerville in June 1863.

He again enlisted - giving his name as Martin Binney - this time in the 28th Massachusetts Infantry as Private in Company B on 18 March 1864, and was appointed First Lieutenant on the 23rd of that month. Shortly afterward he joined the staff of his Brigade commander Thomas A Smythe. He was wounded in action at the Wilderness (4 May, scalp) and Spottsylvania (12 May), then returned to his Regiment. He was promoted to Captain on 22 May 1864. He went to Division commander Major General Frank Barlow's staff as aide on 29 June, was wounded again, at Reams' Station (25 August), and discharged on 19 December 1864.

After the War he was a clerk, and served in a company of Lancers in the Massachusetts Militia until about 1880.

Biographical details from Binney1, himself. Some service dates from the OR2, Register3, and Roster for Company B, 28th Massachusetts transcribed online by reenactors of the Company. The possibly pre-War photograph used here is from one posted by family genealogist William Binney.

02/24/1831; East Cambridge, MA

11/13/1907; Somerville, MA