Clipped slip of paper meas. approx. 6.50 x 2.25 inches. Across the top is the signature of another officer. This reads “EDWARD P. MCRAE / COM. OF LOWER POTOMAC FLOTILLA. CAPT. OF THE FLEET.”

Below this in a strong hand is “STEPHEN H. WEED / CHIEF OF ARTY: 5^TH ARMY CORPS / MAY 19^TH.”

All writing is bold and in strong ink. Paper is clean. Reverse has a third inscription by a Captain of Commissary and Sustenance.

Stephen Hinsdale Weed was born in Potsdam, New York on November 17, 1831. He attended the United States Military Academy graduating 27th of 46 students in the Class of 1854. He received a brevet rank of 2^nd Lieutenant and was assigned to the 2nd U.S. Artillery on frontier duty in Texas. In December of 1854 he received his Regular Army rank of 2^nd Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery.

Two years later Weed was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant and fought in Florida in the Seminole Wars from 1856–57. He was engaged in quelling the Kansas disturbances in 1858 and as commander of Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery, he participated in the Utah War helping restore order to the territory.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Weed was promoted Captain of the newly formed Battery I, 5th U.S. Artillery. He remained at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, training his crews until the spring of 1862, when the battery served in the Peninsula Campaign, at Second Bull Run and Antietam. Promoted to command of all the artillery of the 5^th Corps, Weed’s guns were in action at the Battle of Fredericksburg. After a winter in camp and a short leave of absence, he took part in the Battle of Chancellorsville, commanding the artillery of the 2^nd Division, 5^th Corps. On June 6, 1863, Weed left the Regular Army artillery to accept a commission as a Brigadier General in the Volunteer army. He was assigned command of 3^rd Brigade, 2^nd Division, 5^th Corps.

At Gettysburg, his brigade went to the relief of Col. Strong Vincent's brigade on Little Round Top. His vanguard repelled a Confederate attack that had outflanked Vincent's right. Elements of Weed's brigade helped move the guns of Lt. Charles E. Hazlett's Battery D, 5th United States Artillery to the top of the hill. Weed was mortally wounded in the chest while standing near these guns. His last words were reported as "I would rather die here than that the rebels should gain an inch of this ground." Lt. Hazlett was killed trying to hear what Weed was saying.

Weed's body was returned home and buried in the Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp, a village on Staten Island in Richmond County, New York.

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