Civil War Union Army Major General. A native of Baden, Germany, his family emigrated to America when he was a child, and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1855, he graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was briefly assigned at New Orleans before returning to West Point as an assistant professor of civil and military engineering. Weitzel served with the unit assigned to guard Abraham Lincoln during the Presidential Inauguration in 1861. He was engaged in engineering assignments at the beginning of the Civil War and was eventually transferred to Louisiana to construct defenses. He was appointed as Chief Engineer on the staff of Major General Benjamin Butler, and became the assistant military commander and acting mayor of New Orleans. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of U. S. Volunteers in August, 1862, was assigned to a battlefield command, and led troops to a victory at Labadieville, Louisiana. He then led a division under Major General Nathanial P. Banks against Confederate forces in western Louisiana and at the Siege of Port Hudson. He also commanded a division in the XIX Corps during the Lafourche Campaign. He was transferred to the Eastern Theatre as Chief Engineer for the Army of the James and participated in battles during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. He received a promotion to Brevet Major General of U. S. Volunteers in August, 1864. Three months later, he was appointed to command the XXV Corps, comprised of three divisions consisting mostly of colored soldiers. After unsuccessful attacks against Fort Fisher, the corps was reassigned to Virginia and Weitzel was placed in command of all Federal troops north of the Appomattox River in Virginia. He successfully captured the Confederate capital at Richmond on April 3, 1865. After the collapse of the Confederacy, he continued to serve the United States and received assignments in Texas until 1866. He participated in several engineering projects until he fell ill with a fatal case of pneumonia in 1884 when he was 48 years old.
Civil War Union Army Major General. A native of Baden, Germany, his family emigrated to America when he was a child, and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1855, he graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was briefly assigned at New Orleans before returning to West Point as an assistant professor of civil and military engineering. Weitzel served with the unit assigned to guard Abraham Lincoln during the Presidential Inauguration in 1861. He was engaged in engineering assignments at the beginning of the Civil War and was eventually transferred to Louisiana to construct defenses. He was appointed as Chief Engineer on the staff of Major General Benjamin Butler, and became the assistant military commander and acting mayor of New Orleans. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of U. S. Volunteers in August, 1862, was assigned to a battlefield command, and led troops to a victory at Labadieville, Louisiana. He then led a division under Major General Nathanial P. Banks against Confederate forces in western Louisiana and at the Siege of Port Hudson. He also commanded a division in the XIX Corps during the Lafourche Campaign. He was transferred to the Eastern Theatre as Chief Engineer for the Army of the James and participated in battles during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. He received a promotion to Brevet Major General of U. S. Volunteers in August, 1864. Three months later, he was appointed to command the XXV Corps, comprised of three divisions consisting mostly of colored soldiers. After unsuccessful attacks against Fort Fisher, the corps was reassigned to Virginia and Weitzel was placed in command of all Federal troops north of the Appomattox River in Virginia. He successfully captured the Confederate capital at Richmond on April 3, 1865. After the collapse of the Confederacy, he continued to serve the United States and received assignments in Texas until 1866. He participated in several engineering projects until he fell ill with a fatal case of pneumonia in 1884 when he was 48 years old.
Bio by: K Guy
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