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Theodore Dennis Weed (b. July 20, 1841, d. July 18, 1895)

Theodore Dennis Weed (son of Dennis Weed and Rhoda Henrietta Sisson)^{258, 259} was born July 20, 1841 in Oak Hill, Greene, NY, and died July 18, 1895 in Mason City, Cerro Gordo, IA²⁶⁰. He married Fannie Catherine Russell on October 06, 1878 in Spring Valley, Fillmore, MN.

Notes for Theodore Dennis Weed:
Jean Loraine Weed gave name as Theodore R. Weed.
Theodore Weed, in written history of his life, gave his birth year as 1 846, but this date is after his father's death (died 1843). On page 21 o f Greene Genes, Vol. 6 #1, Spring 1993, is listed the 1860 census. The odore Weed, age 18*, laborer on farm of Charles (age 35) and Polly (age 7 0) Sisson. This fits with 1841 as his birth year.
This note is from a document given to me by Jeanne James Weed. It is a n autobiographical sketch by Theodore D. Weed about his military record i n the Civil War. It will be entered here as originally written.

THEODORE D. WEED

Theodore D. Weed was born at Catskill, Oak Hill, Greene Co., New York, o n the Hudson River on July 20, 1846.

Prior to the War I was a student; I graduated at Fort Edward (1) Instit ute, Washington County, New York. I graduated before I was fifteen yea rs old.

I entered the war first with the Ellsworth Zuaves (2). I was at the fi rst Battle of Bull Run, also at the Marshall House, Alexandria.

When a youthful commander fell mortally wounded, Elmer E. Ellsworth, I r eturned home and re-enlisted in the Ellsworth's Avengers, 44th regiment , New York, S.V. Co., 1, for three years. Sept. 27th, 1861, at Albany, N .Y.

We numbered 1260 young men. I participated in 13 battles and skirmishe s. I was at the siege of Yorktown (3), Battle of Williamsburg(4), Fair O aks(5), Mulhaenies Hills, Hausen Camp. I was in two engagements of the d ay.

I was captured Prisoner of War at that time, May 27th, 1862 taken to Ri chmond, and put in Castle Thunder, then in Libbye (sic) Prison (6), Bel le Isle, then Florence and Andersonviles (sic) (7). I was imprisoned 2 y ears, 11 months, 25 days.

I held the colors when I fell. Mrs. Eraslus (sic) Corning of Albany, N .Y. (8) presented our regiment with a standard of colors in pure silk w ith the inscription, "Peoples Ellsworth Regiment, 44th New York S.V.", o therwise Ellsworth Avengers. Also Mr. E. Corning (9) gave to our entir e regiment a Zuave uniform to each member.

In the last battle we fought over two hours, until we exhausted all our a mmunition. Then we fixed bayonets for final charge. I was acting Colo r Corporal, having never received my new commission. Afterward as color S argeant Young received five wounds. Holding the staff in his hand when t he fatal fifth wound. Then I also received my fatal (sic) injuries wit h seven flesh wounds. Having been thrown by the front and rear ranks i nto the rebel dugouts. When I received the fatal (sic) injury of the s pine, from which I have suffered for all these years. Spinal Paralysis f rom injury of the spine.

I am including information on the numbered subjects for clarity, they a re as follows:

(1) Fort Edward, village, New York, Washington County, on the Hudson Ri ver, 50 miles north of Albany. The village was founded on the site of a f ort built by Gen. Phineas Lyman in 1755 and was first known as Fort Lym an but afterward renamed For Edward in honor of one of the grandsons of K ing George II. The fort was important during the French and Indian War , and used during campaigns in the American Revolution, but was later a bandoned.

(2) Ellsworth, Elmer Ephraim, 1837-1861, born in Malta, NY. In Chicago , he organized the Zouave Cadets, who became famous for their perfectio n in drill and gave exhibitions throughout the north. He entered Abrah am Lincoln's law office (1860), and accompanied Lincoln to Washington ( 1861). When the Civil War began, Ellsworth became colonel of volunteer 1 1th Zouave regiment recruited from New York firemen. On 24 May 1861, t he 24 year old Ellsworth became the first Union combat fatality while a ttempting to remove a Confederate flag from a hotel roof.

(3) Siege of Yorktown, 18 April 1862 to 3 May 1862; the enormous force o f the Army of the Potomac overwhelmed the Confederates without a major b attle. The Southern troops move toward Richmond and McClellan's forces e nter Yorktown.

(4) Williamsburg, city, SE Virginia, between the York and James Rivers, 4 8 miles SE of Richmond. Here, on 5 May 1862, a division of Gen. McClel lan's army, under Hooker, overtook the rear column of the retreating Co nfederate forces under Gen. Magruder. In all, 1703 Southern soldiers a nd 456 Union soldiers were lost, with 373 Union soldiers listed as miss ing.

(5) The battle of Fairoaks, Virginia (aka Seven Pines), 31 May 1862, wa s a major operation that took the lives oif 5031 Union and 6134 Confede rate troops. Despite being a Southern victory, it did little to ease N orthern pressure on Richmond . It was part of the Eastern Theater, Pen insular Campaign.

(6) Libby Prison, Richmond, VA, formerly the candle warehouse of Libby a nd Sons Ships Chandlers. Largely used to confine officer POW's, the mo st notorious after Andersonville, it was commandeered by Gen. J. H. Win der after the 1st battle of Bull Run. It was 4 story, brick, with 8 roo ms, no furniture. Prisoners slept on the floor. During the war, 125,0 00 prisoners passed through. The conditions in Libby Prison were excee ded in infamy only by those at Andersonville. There was one escape on 9 F eb 1864, and two Federal raids (28 Feb and 4 Mar 1864) in attempts to f ree prisoners. It was torn down in 1888-89.

(7) Andersonville Prison, located SW Georgia, first called Camp Sumter. H astily built in the winter of 1863/4 (opened 27 Feb 1864) to hold the b urgeoning Federal prisoners, the prison consisted of a 16 1/2-acre log s tockade, later enlarged, divided by a stream. The stockade held more t han 30,000 men at one time. Poor sanitation, lack of medical care and i nsufficient clothing caused an average of 958 prisoners to die every mo nth during the 13 months the prison was in operation. Capt. H. Wirz, f ormer commander of the prison, was hanged in November 1865, after being f ound guilty of charges of cruelty to Federal prisoners of war held at A ndersonville.

(8) Corning, city, NY, on the Cheming River, about 18 miles NW of Elmir a. It was settled in 1789 and named for Erastus Corning, railway build er.

(9) Corning, Erastus, 1794-1872, born Norwich, CN. Began a successful i ron manufacturing concern in Albany (1814), headed Utica and Schenectad y RR (1833-53), formed the NY Central system and became its first presi dent (1853-64), organized the Corning Land Co. (1835) as a commercial c enter. Four times the mayor of Albany, state senator (1842-46), member o f Congress (1857-59, 1861-63), and a member of the Peace Conference at W ashington (1861).

Works Cited: Hesseltine, W.B., Civil War Prisons: A Study in War Psych ology (1930).
Bowman, H.S., The Civil War: Day by Day (1989).
On page 21 of Greene Genes, Vol. 6 #1, Spring 1993, is listed the 1860 c ensus. Theodore Weed, age 18*, laborer on farm of Charles (age 35) and P olly (age 70) Sisson. (*Please note that Theodore's birthdate is 1846, w hich would have made him 14, not 18, as stated. He may have lied to fi nd work, or he may have misstated his birthdate in biographical sheet.)
Theodore Dennis WEED enlisted at the age of 19 on 26 Sep 1861 as a Priv ate in the Union Army, Company I, 44th Infantry Regiment, NY Volunteers ( Ellsworth Avengers, People's Ellsworth Regiment). He received a disabi lity discharge on 16 Jul 1862 at Fort Monroe, VA for wounds received in b attle. He is recorded as receiving a Distinguished Service discharge.

The 44th Infantry Regiment numbered 1,061 men.

Regiment History: Regiment left Albany, 21 Oct 1961 for Washington. A ssigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, and later joined with the 5th C orps. On 28 Oct they camped at Hall's Hill.

10 Mar 1862 they advanced to Centerville, returned to Fairfax, and proc eeded to Yorktown arriving on 1 Apr. From May 5 - 19, the 44th was gar risoned at Fort Magruder. They then proceeded to Gaines' Mill, engaged t he enemy at Hanover Court House with a loss of 86 men; killed, wounded o r missing. The 44th participated in the Seven Days' battles with a tot al loss of 56 men at Gaines' Mill and 99 men at Malvern Hill out of 225 e ngaged in last named battle.

The company returned to Alexandria, by way of Fort Monroe to Manassas, a nd in the battle of 30 Aug lost 71 men; killed, wounded or missing. Th e 44th was held in reserve at Antietum; spent time at Shepherdstown and F redericksburg; shared the hardships of Burnside's "Mud March" and retur ned to winter quarters at Stoneman Switch near Falmouth.

Battles in which Theodore Dennis WEED fought with the 44th:
30 Apr 1862: Yorktown, VA
27 May 1862: Hanover Court House, VA
18 Jun 1862: Mississippi River
27 Jun 1862: Chickahoming, VA
Gaines' Mill, VA
28 Jun 1862: Savages' Station, VA
29 Jun 1862: Malvern Hill, VA
Savages' Station, VA
30 Jun 1862: Savages' Station, VA
1 Jul 1862: James River, VA
Malvern Hill, VA

More About Theodore Dennis Weed:
Burial: July 20, 1895, Elmwood-St. Joseph's Cemetery, Mason City, Cerro Gordo, IA.²⁶¹
CWSR: NY to VA.²⁶²
Military: September 26, 1861, New York, New York, NY.²⁶³
Misc event: 1860, , Greene, NY.
Record Change: August 01, 2008

More About Theodore Dennis Weed and Fannie Catherine Russell:
Marriage: October 06, 1878, Spring Valley, Fillmore, MN.

Children of Theodore Dennis Weed and Fannie Catherine Russell are:

+Guy Lanclet Weed, b. April 17, 1887, Mason City, Cerro Gordo, IA²⁶⁴, d. March 01, 1968, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.