American Biography

Augustus Gordon Weissert was a well-known member of the Milwaukee bar, and one of Wisconsin’s bravest and most efficient soldiers during the war of the rebellion. He was born in Canton, Ohio, August 7th, 1844, the son of Michael and Magdalene Bernard Weissert.

The family moved from Ohio to Racine, Wisconsin, when Augustus was but six years of age. In that city the boy received a good education in the public schools, graduating from the high school when but seventeen years of age. On the 5th of September, 1861, when but a month past his seventeenth year, he enlisted in Company K, Eighth Wisconsin infantry, having been several times before that rejected on account of being under age and height. His regiment, known as the “Eagle regiment,” on account of its having a live eagle, which it carried all through the war, left the state on the 12th of October for St. Louis, and went thence to Pilot Knob, and a few days thereafter (October 21st) the regiment had its first experience in real war in the battle of Fredericktown, Mo.

Young Mr. Weissert was with his regiment in the expedition up the St. Francis river, to Sulphur Springs, to Cairo, where it spent the greater part of the winter. After that it joined the forces under Gen. Pope, took part in the siege of New Madrid, the pursuit of the Confederates after the siege of Island No. 10, and thence to Pittsburgh, landing just after the battle of Shiloh, thence to the rear of Corinth. After that it bore the brunt at the action at Farmington (May 28th, 1882), where it received the commendation of the commanding officer for its bravery and discipline. It was at the siege of Corinth, and afterward at the battle at that place, October 3rd and 4th, 1862, where it lost heavily. It participated in the siege and assaults at Vicksburg, was under Sherman, took part in the battle of Jackson, was in the Canton campaign and all other campaigns previous to and during the investment of Vicksburg, and in Bank’s Red river expedition, in the charge at Fort Scurry, at Fort De Russy, and the principal engagements of that ill-fated campaign, forming a portion of Sherman’s contingent under A. J. Smith.

After that the regiment was in pursuit of Price in Arkansas and Missouri, making a march of 816 miles, and participated in the battle of Nashville in December, 1864. Mr. Weissert was made sergeant-major of the regiment and captain by brevet to date from June 6th, 1864, for conspicuous bravery during the Red river expedition, and for gallantry at Lake Chicot, June 6th, and Nashville, December 15th, 1864. In this latter engagement he received a rifle ball in the leg while the regiment was preparing for a second charge upon the Confederate lines. He was carried to the rear and sent to the hospital, from which he was, when able to be removed, sent home on requisition of the governor of the state. Captain Weissert still carries the bullet in his leg and the wound has never healed. No surgeon has ever succeeded in extracting it, and he has suffered more or less from it all these years.

This rapid sketch gives only an outline of the captain’s military service, which was alike serviceable to his country and conspicuously illustrates his undaunted courage, his soldierly qualities and his patriotic devotion.

At the close of the war Captain Weissert was appointed to a cadetship at West Point, but on account of his wound he was compelled to decline it. He then went to the University of Michigan, took a course of study, then entered the law department of that institution, from which he graduated with the degree of LL. B. He had previously read law under the direction of Wm. P. Lyon, long a judge of the supreme court. He was admitted to practice in the circuit courts of the state in 1869, and in the following year to the state supreme court and to the district, circuit and supreme courts of the United States. Since then he has been in continued and successful practice in Milwaukee. He has held positions of trust and honor. For a number of years he was also a member of the city board of school commissioners, and was chairman of the high school committee in that body, and active in his efforts for the promotion of the cause of public education.

In 1886 Capt. Weissert joined the Grand Army of the Republic, and he has been a most active member ever since. He has several times represented his post in the department encampments; was a representative of the Department of Wisconsin at St. Louis in 1887, at the national encampment. He was active at Columbus in securing the encampment for Milwaukee in 1889. Also, he was chosen chairman of the citizens’ committee having in charge the arrangements for the last named encampment, and to his indefatigable efforts was largely due the success of that meeting.

Capt. Weissert has been trustee of Wolcott Post, Milwaukee, for years, and has been twice commander of the Wisconsin department. At the Milwaukee encampment he was unanimously elected senior vice-commander of the G. A. R., and in 1892 he was made commander. In all these positions Col. Weissert did efficient and thorough work and was unsparing of himself in the discharge of his duties. A good lawyer, a public-spirited and most active citizen, a genial a pleasant companion, he has many friends who rejoice in his successes and the honors that have been bestowed upon him.