Born in 1854 in Germany, Weissel immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from New York.
On that day, while Minnesota was at Newport, Rhode Island, Captain of the Forecastle C. Lorenze fell overboard.
Weissel jumped into the water and kept him afloat until they were picked up by one of the ship's small boats.
[2] Weissel's official Medal of Honor citation reads: For jumping overboard from the U.S. Training Ship Minnesota, at Newport, R.I., 26 August 1881, and sustaining until picked up by a boat from the ship, C. Lorenze, captain of the forecastle, who had fallen overboard.
[2]In 1884, Weissel served as cook on the British ship Alert when it took part in the Arctic rescue of Adolphus Greely and his Lady Franklin Bay Expedition.