David A. Weisiger

David Addison Weisiger (December 23, 1818 – February 23, 1899) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War (Civil War). Weisiger served as a second lieutenant in the 1st Virginia Volunteers, an infantry regiment, during the Mexican–American War. After the war, he was a businessman at Petersburg, Virginia. Between 1853 and 1860, he served in the 39th Virginia Militia Regiment, rising from captain to colonel. After the Civil War, he was a bank cashier at Petersburg, Virginia and a businessman at Richmond, Virginia.

David A. Weisiger
Born(1818-12-23)December 23, 1818
Chesterfield County, Virginia
DiedFebruary 23, 1899(1899-02-23) (aged 80)
Richmond, Virginia
Buried
Petersburg, Virginia
Allegiance United States of America
Confederate States of America
Service/branch United States Army
 Confederate States Army
Years of service1846–1848 (USA)
1861–1865 (CSA)
Rank Second Lieutenant (USV)
Colonel (Virginia Militia)
Brigadier General (CSA)
Unit1st Virginia Volunteers (USV)
Commands held39th Virginia Militia Regiment
12th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Weisiger's Brigade
Battles/warsMexican–American War
American Civil War
Other workBank cashier

Early life

David Addison Weisiger was born December 23, 1818, at "The Grove" in Chesterfield County, Virginia.[1][2][3][4] His grandfather Samuel Weisinger had been born in Germany.

During the Mexican–American War, Weisiger served in the 1st Virginia Volunteers Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant of Company E from December 3, 1846, to August 1, 1848.[2][3][5] After the war, he was a businessman at Petersburg, Virginia.[3][4] He served successively as captain, major and colonel of the 39th Virginia Militia Regiment between 1853 and 1860.[2][6] He was officer of the day in the Virginia militia at the hanging of abolitionist John Brown on December 2, 1859.[3][4][5]

American Civil War service

David A. Weisiger began his Confederate Civil War service as a major in the 4th Infantry Battalion of the Virginia Militia in April 1861.[2][3] On April 20, 1861, Weisiger took his battalion to the Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia when it was abandoned by the U.S. Navy, occupying the city as well.[5][6] He became colonel of the 12th Virginia Infantry Regiment on May 9, 1861.[2][3][5][6] The regiment served on the Virginia Peninsula[3][4] until it was attached to the brigade of then Brigadier General William Mahone in Major General Richard H. Anderson's division of III Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.[2][4]

Weisiger fought at the Battle of Seven Pines and during the Seven Days Battles, taking a prominent part in the Battle of Glendale.[3][4][5][6] He briefly took command of Mahone's brigade when Mahone was wounded at the Battle of Second Bull Run (second Manassas)[5] but in turn was severely wounded at the battle.[2] Weisiger was disabled until July 1863.[3][4][6][7] He took command of Mahone's brigade at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 7, 1864, after Mahone was wounded on May 6, 1864.[2][3][4] Weisiger commanded the brigade at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House and the Battle of Cold Harbor.[4] He was appointed brigadier general with temporary rank on May 31, 1864.[2][3] This commission was confirmed June 7, 1864, but was canceled for lack of a vacancy.[2][8] Mahone was not seriously wounded but succeeded to division command when Major General Richard H. Anderson was transferred to temporary command of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's corps.[9] Weisiger remained in command of the brigade despite the initial cancellation of his promotion.[5]

On July 30, 1864, Weisiger assisted then Major General Mahone with the Confederate counterattack at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia.[3][5][10] Weisiger was wounded again in this battle.[2][3][4] In recognition of his contribution to the Confederate victory at the Battle of the Crater, Weisiger was appointed brigadier general from the date of the battle, July 30, 1864.[2][3][11]

Weisiger commanded a brigade in Mahone's division from June 4, 1864, to April 9, 1865.[2][5][6] He was paroled at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865.[2][3][4][6] He had been wounded three times and had two horses shot from under him.[6]

Aftermath

After the Civil War, Weisiger returned to Petersburg, Virginia where he was a bank cashier.[2][3][4] Later, he was a businessman at Richmond, Virginia.[3][4] David Addison Weisiger died on February 23, 1899, at Richmond, Virginia.[2][3][4] He is buried at Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia.[2]

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See also

Notes
  1. He sometimes has been called Daniel Adams Weisiger, having been confused with Confederate Brigadier General Daniel Weisiger Adams. Boatner, 1988, p. 899 erroneously gives his name as "Davis Adams Weisiger."
  2. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. pp. 558–559.
  3. Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 0-8071-0823-5. p. 330.
  4. Wert, Jeffry D. "Weisiger, David Addison" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6. pp. 811–812.
  5. Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 0-8160-1055-2. pp. 702–703.
  6. Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published New York, McKay, 1959. p. 899.
  7. Sifakis. 1988, p. 702 is the only one of the cited sources which specifically states that Weisiger fought at the Battle of Gettysburg and in the campaigns during the Fall of 1863.
  8. Eicher, 2001, p. 799.
  9. Sifakis, 1988, p. 429.
  10. Sifakis, 1988, p. 702 states that there was friction between Weisiger and Mahone but this did not prevent them from working together in the last year of the war.
  11. Boatner, 1988, p. 899 says Weisiger was given an on the spot promotion by Army of Northern Virginia commander General Robert E. Lee and Wert, 1986, p. 812 says Weisiger received a battlefield promotion but Lee had no authority to give such promotions. Eicher, 2001, p. 67; Warner, 1959, p. xv. Although Weisiger exercised brigade command, the promotion was not legally effective until he was nominated to that rank by Confederate President Jefferson Davis and the appointment was confirmed by the Confederate Senate. These steps were taken on November 1, 1864, and February 3, 1865. Eicher, 2001, p. 799.

References
  • Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8129-1726-0. First published 1959 by McKay.
  • Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
  • Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
  • Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
  • Wert, Jeffry D. "Weisiger, David Addison" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6.
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