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 . Early life . David Addison Weisiger was born December 23 , 1818 at " The Grove " in Chesterfield County , Virginia . 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 .