Edward Bush was born in Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois on February 5, 1838. He was the son of Colonel Daniel Brown Bush Sr and Adeline Geer Sellon Bush. The success and networking of his father paved the way in life for Edward. In 1854 Edward received an appointment to West Point from Congressman William A. Richardson. Richardson was a native of Kentucky. He had served in the Mexican War as a Major of Illinois Volunteers. In 1847 – 1856 he was elected US Congressman from the Illinois 5th District to fill the vacant seat caused by the resignation of Stephen Douglas. Richardson would serve in the US Senate a second time to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Stephen Douglas.
Edward Bush entered West Point in 1854. He would complete his five years of study graduating in the Class of 1859. Within the Class of 59 they were a few men that would go on to fame in the Civil War. Abraham K. Arnold commissioned a captain in the 5th United States Cavalry who on May 10, 1864, at Davenport Bridge, Virginia led a gallant charge against a superior force of the enemy to extricate his command from a perilous position which his unit had been ordered. For his heroic deed Arnold was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 1, 1893.
The class also had a few cadets that cast their lots with the Confederacy. Major Samuel Henry Lockett would become an engineer in the Confederate Army and in 1862 Lockett would be challenged with the task of designing and laying out the massive earthworks around the eastside of Vicksburg. Earthworks that on May 22, 1863, many Pike County men assaulted and lost their lives.
Joseph Wheeler, who at the age of twenty-six found himself in charge of all the cavalry troops in the Army of the Tennessee. He was constantly engaged in battle, being wounded three times along with thirty-six staff officers falling by his side. Wheeler had sixteen horses shot from under him second only to Nathan Bedford Forrest. After the war he would be elected to United States Congress. When the United States entered the Spanish American War Wheeler was commissioned a major general. He retired from the regular army as a brigadier general.
Upon graduation Edward would be commissioned a brevet second lieutenant of Infantry on July 1, 1859, and stationed on garrison duty at Newport Barracks, Kentucky. On August 7, 1859, he was attached to the 10th United States Infantry as a second lieutenant. He was promoted to first lieutenant of the 10th on May 14, 1863. By the spring 1863 he was serving as captain leading his company in the battle of Chancellorsville, Pennsylvania Campaign and Gettysburg where he was wounded on July 2, 1863. Edward was promoted to brevet major that same day for gallant and meritorious services during the battle of Gettysburg.
After the war Edward would marry Sarah Ketchum in 1865. Being the wife of a career army officer was not easy, but Sarah supported Edward wherever the army stationed him. Many of these barracks and forts were on the edge of the frontier.
By 1882 Edward Bush was the Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th United States Infantry. Three years later he was transferred to the 11 United States Infantry. On April 22, 1892, he had been promoted to Colonel of the 25th United States Infantry and had received orders to report to Fort Missoula, Montana with his regiment. Before reporting for duty in Montana Edward received a four month leave due to poor health from what doctors called a brain afliction While on leave he returned to Pittsfield and his boyhood home now owned by his sister Mrs. Lucia Bates, whose husband was Daniel C. Bates brother to Therena Bates Nicolay, wife of former Lincoln secretary John G. Nicolay.
After returning from a walk around town Edward was stricken by a stroke which he never recovered from and passed away on July 4, 1892. The funeral service was held at the Bush house followed by escort by the Grand Army of the Republican Veterans to St Stephens Episcopal Cemetery where Edward was laid to rest.