Hi-

I'm seeing some conflicting information for Richard Weightman's MSG brigade at Wilson's Creek and am hoping some MSG experts can help sort this out. If I understand correctly, Weightman was commanding the infantry portion of Rain's 8th Division at Wilson's Creek. This was the largest MSG infantry contingent present. Bearss' "The Battle of Wilson's Creek" lists the unit as the 1st brigade of the 8th division but provides no regimental/battalion list. He does however describe elements in the text and endnotes.

Brooksher's "Bloody Hill" has Rains in the 2nd Division (typo?) and his OOB is from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. It then proceeds to list 1st/2nd/3rd/4th MSG Infantry as being the constituents of this brigade. There is no list of commanders and I believe this is incomplete. While I like many aspects of Brooksher's work, it is riddled with errors from what I can tell.

Going back a month in 1861 to the Battle of Carthage, Missouri according to Hinze' "The Battle of Carthage" Weightman had Col. John R. Graves 2nd Regiment, Col. Edgar V. Hurst's 3rd Regiment, and Lt. Col. Walter O'Kane's Battalion. In the footnotes Hinze lists Lt. Col. Thomas H. Rosser as commanding the 1st Regiment but suggests it was not in action and was perhaps unarmed at Carthage.

Hinze' list seems to jibe with Bearss' account of Wilson's Creek and the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Troop Movement Maps. In them Rosser is directing the 1st regiment and the attached 4th Battalion. Weightman positions the 3rd and 5th regiment. (Hurst commanding the 3rd and wounded at Wilson's Creek?) Weightman also positions Maj. Brashear of the 2nd regiment--Col. Graves is absent. The 5th is listed as being commanded by Col. James J. Clarkson.

So I come up with the following for Weightman's 1st Brigade of the Eighth Division MSG at Wilson's Creek:
1st Regiment--Col. Thomas H. Rosser
2nd Regiment--Maj. Ezra H. Brashear (Col. John R. Graves absent)
3rd Regiment--Col. Edgar V. Hurst
4th Battalion (or Regiment?)-- (Lt. Col. Walter O'Kane?)
5th Regiment--Col. James J. Clarkson

Is this accurate? Anyone have any idea of strengths of the units at the time (other than the brigade total.)

Thanks.