He was the youngest son of Colonel John James Abert,[1] chief of topographical engineers of the US Army.

[2] At the beginning of the Civil War, Abert was promoted to captain and assigned to the 3rd U.S. Cavalry[3] before serving as an aide to General George B. McClellan.

After the Battle of Antietam he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of volunteers and joined the staff of General Nathaniel Banks.

After the war, he returned to the army and was promoted to major in June 1867 in the United States 7th U.S. Cavalry.

Colonel Abert died on August 25, 1867, in Galveston, Texas,[4] from yellow fever, which was an epidemic on the Gulf Coast at that time,[5] with his death being announced by General Charles Griffin, "paying a high tribute to his memory".