Husband Col. Jacob Weyand 1 2
AKA: Col. Jacob Wyand 3
Born: 29 Mar 1828 - near Mt. Jackson, Beaver (later Lawrence) Co, PA 1 2
Christened:
Died: Aft 1899
Buried:
Father: Henry Weyand (1791-cal 1843) 4 5
Mother: Mary Magdalene Ginder (Abt 1789-1862/1863) 4 5
Marriage:
Other Spouse: Victoria Adams (1837-1892/1913) 3 6 - 1857 6 7
Wife Mary E. Cooke 5
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Maj. William Cooke ( - ) 5
Mother:
Children
General Notes: Husband - Col. Jacob Weyand
He was the last survivor of the organizers of the Republican party in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He worked on a farm until he attained his majority, after which he attended school in Beaver for a short time. In 1854 he became part owner of the Argus, and assisted in editing and publishing that paper until the winter of 1857-58, when he disposed of his interest in the Argus and bought the Free Press at Carrollton, Ohio. Here he was when the war broke out. Catching the martial spirit of the times he sold the Free Press, raised a company of volunteers, was elected its captain, and marched it to Camp Mingo, near Steubenville, Ohio, and was at once attached to the 126th O. V. I. and mustered into the United States service. For sturdy courage and coolness in the midst of great danger he had no peers in the army. He was twice wounded in battle, and participated in nearly all of the bloody battles in which the army of the Potomac took a part. In the battle at Monocacy, Maryland, July 9, 1864, he was put in command of his regiment; and an officer on the staff of the commanding general that day, in writing a history of the battle, made use of the following language:
Captain Weyand, who was commanding the 126th Ohio Vols. was on the extreme right of the line, with the right of his regiment resting near the Monocacy bridge. After the battle had progressed a short time he was directed by General Wallace to set fire to the bridge, then face his regiment to the left, double quick it to the extreme left of the line, throw it across the pike and hold the position as long as he could. The bridge was fired, and the regiment started off on its perilous mission. It had almost reached its destination, when, as it came abreast of the left of the line of the one-hundred-day men, it met a most unexpected obstruction. Immediately in their front was a farm ditch, about six feet wide and the same in depth, through which a sluggish, shallow stream of water was running. A few feet further was a board fence some five or six feet high, and both running at right angles with the line of battle.
Just beyond the ditch and fence was the Washington Pike. The ditch was literally alive with one-hundred-day men, who, all unused to the sort of treatment they were receiving at the hands of the enemy, had taken shelter there from the raking fire which the Confederates had opened upon the Pike with the view of keeping that thoroughfare open. The enemy were in line of battle on an elevation about four hundred yards in our front and every missile known to savage warfare seemed to becoming down that hard and dusty road. Plowing shot, screaming shell, hurling grape and canister, trimmed out with whistling, zipping, rattling volleys of musketry, falling everywhere, and sending up puffs of dust, or tearing great rifts in the almost impenetrable highway, produced a veritable "pandemonium let loose," and no one who could command calmness enough to considerately behold the scene can ever forget it. Language is not lurid enough, nor is vermillion red enough to catch the scene.
But it must be done! The general had ordered the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth to form across that road.
"Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die."
To go is death to many; to stay is dishonor and defeat to all. Orders are useless amid this awful din! Example is everything! As a woman who hesitates is lost, so a soldier who falters at the breach is undone. Captain Weyand leaped the ditch, climbed to the top of the fence and pointed "Forward!" In an instant every file was moving after him, and led by the gallant Captain McPeck, the indomitable Captain Hoge, and that sturdy patriot, Lieutenant Crooks, the regiment sprang across the ditch, demolished the fence and wheeled across the road, dressed their line as if on parade, and stubbornly maintained their position. Under the galling fire the men were falling like leaves before an autumn storm, and realizing the dreadful havoc that was being made in the ranks, Captain Weyand broke the battle line and hurriedly moved the regiment some seventy-five yards forward, where an abrupt rise in the ground partially sheltered the men from the merciless storm through which they had just passed. In this movement toward the enemy in the face of a withering fire, the brave men marched with touching elbows and with as regular tread as they ever did in battalion drill or going out on dress parade. All this occurred within the brief period of about fifteen minutes, and yet within that time every fourth man in the regiment that day was either killed, wounded or missing. The saying went undenied then and since that "every officer of the regiment came out of the conflict bleeding; and that every man in the line that was not hit had his clothes riddled with bullets. In the eleven preceding battles in which the regiment had borne an honorable part, its splendid discipline and fighting qualities had never shown to greater advantage than on this field. Its brilliant conduct was the theme of officers and men who had no connection with it, and Captain Weyand, who bad already been complimented highly by his superior officers for gallantry at Cold Harbor, was now honored with recommendations to the Secretary of War for brevet promotions as major and lieutenant-colonel.
The story of Monocacy is that of a battle lost, a victory won. Many other battles were greater in point of numbers engaged and the natural casualties of war; few were greater in results as compared with the numbers engaged; none were greater than the heroism displayed by those engaged. Monocacy saved Washington.
After the war was over he returned to Beaver, bought the Argus again, and continued to be its editor and proprietor until 1874, when it and the Radical were consolidated and published for four years by Weyand Rutan. Mr. Weyand was considered among the best business men of the Beaver Valley. When the McCreery Bank failed, in 1883, he was selected as assignee, and settled the complicated business of that institution to the satisfaction of all parties interested. He resides now on a small farm near Beaver, and spends much of his time in beautifying and improving his possessions. [HBC 1888, 735]
He worked on a farm until he attained manhood, and then attended Beaver Academy. In 1854 he became part owner of the Argus, and assisted in editing and publishing that paper until the winter of 1857 and 1858. Selling his interest in the Argus, he purchased the Free Press, at Carrollton, Ohio, where he was busily engaged at the breaking out of the Civil War. Catching the martial spirit of the times, Mr. Weyand sold the Free Press, and raised a company of volunteers. He was chosen captain, and marched the company to Camp Mingo, near Steubenville, Ohio, where it was at once attached to the 126th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and mustered into service in 1862. During his service, Capt. Weyand was noted for sturdy courage and coolness in the midst of great danger, and although twice wounded in battle, he had no fears for his personal safety, but thought rather of the duty to be performed. He participated in nearly all the battles of the Potomac campaign. In the battle of Monocacy, Maryland, fought July 9, 1864, Capt. Weyand was placed in command of his regiment, and an officer on the staff of the commanding general that day, in writing a history of the battle, made use of the following language: "Capt. Weyand, who was commanding the 126th Ohio Vol., was on the extreme right of the line, with the right of his regiment resting near the Monocacy bridge. After the battle had progressed a short time, he was directed by General Wallace to set fire to the bridge, then face the regiment to the left, double quick it to the extreme left of the line, throw it across the pike, and hold the position as long as he could. The bridge was fired and the regiment started off on its perilous movement. It had almost reached the desired destination, when, as it came abreast of the line of the 'hundred day men,' it met a most unexpected obstruction. Immediately in its front was a farm ditch about six feet wide and the same depth, through which a sluggish stream of water was running. A few feet further was a board fence five or six feet high-both running at right angles with the line of battle. Just beyond the ditch and fence was the Washington pike. The ditch was literally alive with 'hundred day men,' who, totally unused to the sort of treatment they were receiving at the hands of the enemy, had taken shelter there from the raking fire which the Confederates had opened on the pike. With the view of keeping that thoroughfare open, the enemy were in line of battle on an elevation of about four hundred yards in our front, and every missile known to warfare seemed to be coming down that hard, dusty road; plowing shot, screeching shells, rattling grape and canister were hurled out, with sharp volleys of musketry, sending up puffs of dust, or tearing up great rifts of the highway. No one could command calmness enough to considerately behold the scene, yet this had to be done; the General had ordered it. Here Captain Weyand leaped the ditch, climbed to the top of the fence, and pointed forward. In an instant every file was moving after him, led by the gallant McPeck. Under the galling fire the men were falling like leaves before an autumn blast, and, realizing the dreadful havoc that was being made in the ranks, Capt. Weyand broke the battle line, and hurriedly moved his regiment some seventy-five yards forward, where a rise in the ground partly sheltered the men from the merciless storm they had just passed. Every officer came out of the conflict bleeding, and every man not hit or killed had his clothes riddled with bullets."
In the eleven preceding battles in which the regiment had borne an honorable part, its splendid discipline and fighting qualities had never shown to greater advantage than in this field. Its brilliant conduct was the theme of officers and men who had no connection with it, and Captain Weyand, who had already been complimented highly by his superior officers for gallantry at Cold Harbor, was now honored with a recommendation to the Secretary of War for promotion as major and brevet lieutenant-colonel. Col. Fox, in his book, entitled, "The Three Hundred, Fighting Regiments of the War," includes the 126th Ohio Vol. Infantry (Col. Weyand's) regiment as one of that number.
After the war, our subject returned to Beaver, Pennsylvania, repurchased the Argus, and conducted it until 1874, when he consolidated it with the Radical, publishing both under the firm of Weyand & Rutan. From that time Col. Weyand practically retired from business, with the exception of dealing in real estate to some extent. He purchased the David Hall property of fifteen acres at Beaver, but just within the line of Bridgewater borough, and built a handsome residence. In 1893, Col. Weyand was elected to the legislature; two years later he was re-elected, and the duties of a legislator were performed by him in a very creditable and capable manner. He is a member of the U. V. L. and the G. A. R. He worships at the M. E. church. [BOBBC, 33]