George Washington Bynum

In 1860 he was a 20 year old law student living on his parent's farm in Tishomingo County, MS. He enlisted there on 1 May 1861 as a Private in Company A, 2nd Mississippi Infantry. He was appointed 4th Corporal on 22 April 1862.

He was with his Company at Boonsboro (on South Mountain) and at Sharpsburg, and was wounded and captured in action there on 17 September 1862.

He was paroled on 27 September near Shepherdstown, VA, and promoted to 3rd Corporal on 16 October 1862. He was promoted again, to 2nd Sergeant on 14 July 1863. He was listed as absent without leave after 1 February 1864, but had accepted a commission as Lieutenant and Adjutant of Major Thomas W. Harris' (2nd) Battalion of Cavalry, Mississippi State Troops while home on a furlough in January. He did not obtain the customary transfer or discharge from the 2nd Infantry.

He was elected Major of Ham's Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry, later the 9th Mississippi Cavalry, to date from 4 May 1864, when they mustered into Confederate service at Tupelo, MS. They were consolidated with other units to become the 11th Mississippi Cavalry in March 1865, and Bynum was appointed Captain of Company B. He was surrendered and paroled at Columbus, MS on 16 May 1865.

He was a farmer near his Dilworth in-laws in Alcorn County by 1870 and to at least 1880. He was Corinth's postmaster (1886-90) and Mayor (1896-98), and served in the state legislature (1892-96). In 1900 he was a grocer in Corinth, and was US Commissioner there in 1910.

His service from his Compiled Service Records 1, via fold3. Details from his obituary (1921) and diary extracts (1925) in the Confederate Veteran.2 Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860-1910. His gravesite is on Findagrave. Thanks to Mike Brasher for the pointer to Bynum and his wounding at Sharpsburg, and for his photograph, from an original courtesy of Mark W. Blackburn.

He married Frances Caroline "Fannie" Dilworth (1842-1929) in March 1866 and they had as many as 10 children, all boys.

There were 5 Bynum brothers in Company A of the 2nd Mississippi.

See an excellent post war photograph of the Bynum brothers on Mike Brasher's 2nd Mississippi Infantry ... blog.

09/20/1839; Chatham County, NC

07/17/1920; Corinth, MS; burial in Henry Cemetery, Corinth, MS