Richard Hanson Weightman - Springfield, Mo.
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member iconions
N 37° 10.343 W 093° 15.835
15S E 476570 N 4114028
This light grey granite marker is located in the Springfield Confederate Cemetery - 1702 E Seminole St in Springfield, Mo.
Waymark Code: WMW04R
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 06/19/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Marine Biologist
Views: 0

This light grey granite marker is located in the Springfield Confederate Cemetery - 1702 E Seminole St in Springfield, Mo. The headstone has a pointed top like Government issued Confederate headstones.

COL. RICHARD HANSON WEIGHTMAN
Born A.D. 1818
Died Aug. 10, 1861.


Among those who fell mortally wounded upon
the battlefield, none deserve a dearer place in
the memory of Missourians than Richard Hanson
Weightman, Colonel Commanding the First Brigade
of the Second Division of this Army. He fell at
the head of his brigade, wounded in three places
and died just as the victorious shouts of our
army began to rise upon the air.

Extract from Gen. Price's official report of
the Battle of Wilson's Creek.

- Marker Text



Richard Hanson Weightman (December 28, 1816 - August 10, 1861) was an antebellum delegate to the United States Congress from the Territory of New Mexico. He was also a district commander of the secessionist Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War, and was killed in action at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri.

Born in Washington, D.C., Weightman attended private schools there and in Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1834. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1835-1837 (but did not graduate). He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841 in the District of Columbia, but did not practice.

He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and on May 28, 1846, was elected captain of Clark's Battalion, Missouri Volunteer Light Artillery, in the Mexican War. He served as Additional Paymaster, Volunteers, in the Army in 1848 and 1849. He moved to New Mexico Territory in 1851 and edited a newspaper in Sante Fe. He was appointed agent for Indians in New Mexico in July 1851.

Weightman was elected as a Democrat and the Territory's first Delegate to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1853). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1852, but resumed newspaper work. He moved to Kickapoo and Atchison, Kansas, in 1858, and went to Independence, Missouri, in 1861.

Weightman was elected colonel of the First Regiment Cavalry, Eighth Division, Missouri State Guard on June 11, 1861. He was promoted to command of the First Brigade, Eighth Division, June 20, 1861, and led it competently at the Battle of Carthage on July 5. He was killed while leading the brigade at Wilson's Creek in Missouri on August 10, 1861, and was interred on the battlefield near Springfield, Missouri.

- Wikipedia

Type of Death Listed: Killed by something

Website (if available): [Web Link]

Cause of death inscription on headstone: Not listed

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