Buried at Petersburg, Virginia | Name David Weisiger | |
Born December 23, 1818
Chesterfield County, Virginia ( 1818-12-23 ) Allegiance United States of America
Confederate States of America Service/branch United States Army
Confederate States Army Years of service 1846–1848 (USA)
1861–1865 (CSA) Rank Second Lieutenant (USV)
Colonel (Virginia Militia)
Brigadier General (CSA) Commands held 39th Virginia Militia Regiment
12th Virginia Infantry Regiment
Weisiger's Brigade Died 1899, Richmond, Virginia, United States Place of burial Petersburg, Virginia, United States Battles and wars Mexican–American War, American Civil War | ||
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.
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Early life
David Addison Weisiger was born December 23, 1818 at "The Grove" in Chesterfield County, Virginia. 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. After the war, he was a businessman at Petersburg, Virginia. He served successively as captain, major and colonel of the 39th Virginia Militia Regiment between 1853 and 1860. He was officer of the day in the Virginia militia at the hanging of abolitionist John Brown on December 2, 1859.
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. 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. He became colonel of the 12th Virginia Infantry Regiment on May 9, 1861. The regiment served on the Virginia Peninsula 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.
Weisiger fought at the Battle of Seven Pines and during the Seven Days Battles, taking a prominent part in the Battle of Glendale. He briefly took command of Mahone's brigade when Mahone was wounded at the Battle of Second Bull Run (second Manassas) but in turn was severely wounded at the battle. Weisiger was disabled until July 1863. 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. Weisiger commanded the brigade at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House and the Battle of Cold Harbor. He was appointed brigadier general with temporary rank on May 31, 1864. This commission was confirmed June 7, 1864 but was canceled for lack of a vacancy. 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. Weisiger remained in command of the brigade despite the initial cancellation of his promotion.
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. Weisiger was wounded again in this battle. 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.
Weisiger commanded a brigade in Mahone's division from June 4, 1864 to April 9, 1865. He was paroled at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865. He had been wounded three times and had two horses shot from under him.
Aftermath
After the Civil War, Weisiger returned to Petersburg, Virginia where he was a bank cashier. Later, he was a businessman at Richmond, Virginia. David Addison Weisiger died on February 23, 1899 at Richmond, Virginia. He is buried at Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia.