Carson W. Yeager, the real son of Civil War Veteran Peter Yeager, passed away on July 15, 2014 at the age of 97 years old. He was a member of Chicago’s SUVCW Phil Sheridan Camp No. 2. He was born on September 23, 1916, grew up in Stockton, Illinois, and went on to serve in World War II in the Navy.

Carson’s father was German immigrant Peter Yeager (1847-1928), who served with the 146th Illinois Infantry, primarily transporting Confederate prisoners and guarding Union soldiers who had been drafted. His unit also skirmished with troops along the Mississippi River and Pvt. Yeager served on the honor guard for President Lincoln’s funeral in Springfield, Illinois. He died when Carson was eleven, leaving the younger Yeager to learn of his father’s experiences from his service diary.

Carson grew up on a farm in southern Illinois. After graduating high school, he took correspondence courses and then enrolled in Bradley University. He worked as an electrician in Rockford for three years before enlisting in the “Seabees” in 1942. He later applied for and was accepted into Officer Training School and spent the rest of the war in the navy’s Industrial Manager’s Office, specializing in sonar.

In honor of Brother Yeager’s passing, SUVCW Commander-in-Chief Tad Campbell has issued Special Order No. 1, which orders an official period of mourning for thirty days from September 5, 2014, during which time charters are to be draped and mourning ribbons are to be attached to the membership badge.

Only an estimated eight real sons of Civil War Union veterans remain alive today. Click here (pdf) for a list of those eight men (Charles Cox passed away earlier).