Over 600,000 Americans died in the Civil War that lasted from 1861 to 1865, including members of the Mather family. Occasionally photographs and correspondence from that era have survived, as was the case with Warren, Asa, and Emmett Mather, brothers and soldiers from Vermont.
To read letters from their father during Warren's hospitalization and ultimate death, see
The Vermont Civil War.
Warren Mather (1836-1864) was mortally wounded
at the battle of Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864.
Asa was a Quarter Master Sergeant and served as this rank for most of the war.
He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant late in 1864.
Emmett, youngest of the brothers, achieved the rank of Captain.
George, father of the soldiers, stayed with Warren in the hospital until he died.