Item No. 2011684

A pair of CDV portraits featuring brothers Henry and George Asbury, both U.S. Army Officers from Quincy, Illinois. From a family album assembled by Bernard J. D. Irwin, the noted Army surgeon, naturalist, and Medal-of-Honor recipient. Irwin’s wife was from Quincy, which likely explains the association.

The brothers were identified in contemporary pencil on the page of the album in which their portraits were placed (see photos). Henry’s portrait bears the imprint of R. W. Addis, Washington, D.C., while George’s bears the imprint of W. W. Washburn, New Orleans.

Henry Asbury entered the 3rd U.S. Infantry as a second lieutenant in August 1861 after a 3-month enlistment in the 10th Illinois. He was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1862. He received a brevet promotion to captain for gallantry and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, and a brevet to major for meritorious service throughout the war in March 1865. After the war, he commanded Fort Larned, Kansas, where he served during the Army’s operations on the Southern Plains. He died on October 20, 1870.

George Asbury served first as a lieutenant in the 13th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery and the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry before entering the Regular Army’s 1st U.S. Artillery as a second lieutenant in February 1866. Promoted to first lieutenant that July, he continued in Army service until his death by drowning on May 4, 1871.

An interesting pair of portraits for brothers who sadly had short postwar army careers. Both cartes have been trimmed to about 2 3/8” x 3 3/8”.