Civil War Washington

Date of Birth (not before): 1839-12-10

Date of Birth (not after): 1840-12-09

Date of Death (not before): 1874-01-21

Date of Death (not after): 1874-01-21

Additional information: Cotter's birth date range is calculated based on his age at time of enlistment as listed in The American Civil War Research Database (ACWRD). Cotter was 23 when he enlisted on 9 December 1863. The ACWRD indicates that Cotter was born in Ireland, and The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (MSHWR) notes that Cotter died at Queenstown, Ireland while on furlough from the National Military Asylum.

According to the MSHWR, Cotter was injured at the Battle of Petersburg, suffering a "fracture of thigh, lower third." His leg was amputated at the field hospital of the 2nd Division, Ninth Corps. From the field hospital Cotter was transferred to Washington, where he remained in hospitals, suffering from complications due to his wound, for the next two years. According to his case in The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, Cotter was injured at Petersburg on 30 July 1864 and suffered from injury-related complications for the remainder of his life. His pension examiner noted in 1872 that Cotter's wounded limb was "diseased and never free from ulceration since he was wounded."