Born circa 1821, at _________________________________________,
Kingdom of Norway
Parents were ______________________________ and
_____________________________
Immigrated to America, 18__
Married on ________, 18__,
to _________________ at _____________________________
Died on ___________, 1___, of
_________________ at _____________________________
Buried at
__________________________________________________________________
Christian Heyer was enlisted in Company C of the 15th Wisconsin by Captain Frederick R. Berg on November 9, 1861, for a 3 year term of service. The men of Company C called themselves the "Norway Bear Hunters" and served as the 15th's Color (flag) Company. Christian was mustered into Federal service at the rank of Sergeant on January 1, 1862, at Camp Randall, near the City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. At the time he was 40 years old and married. He was recorded as having blue eyes, dark hair, a light complexion, and standing 5 feet 4 inches tall. His occupation was listed as Farmer and his residence as the Town of East Randolph, Columbia County, Wisconsin.
On January 14, 1862, the men of Company C were issued Belgian rifle muskets. On March 2, 1862, after 2 months at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Christian Heyer left there in early March, 1862, with his company and regiment to join the war. From then until the end of December, 1862 he was recorded as "present" with the 15th. In April, 1862, he was demoted to the rank of "wagon master." That spring he would have been at the Siege of Island No. 10, Tennessee, and the Raid on Union City, Tennessee. That summer he would have been on campaign though Tennessee and the States of Mississippi and Alabama.
In August, 1862, Heyer was appointed 1st Sergeant of Company C. It is believed that he filled the vacancy created when 1st Sergeant Martin Russell was promoted to be the 2nd Lieutenant of Company I. The 1st Sergeant was the highest non-commissioned officer (NCO) in a Civil War company. The 1st Sergeant ran the company for the officers. At the time of Heyer's appointment as 1st Sergeant, Company C was commanded by Captain Hans Hanson, the second-in-command was 1st Lieutenant John T. Rice, and third-in-command was 2nd Lieutenant James Larson.
From August through September 1st Sergeant Heyer participated in the grueling 400 mile retreat with U.S. Major General Don Carlos Buell up to the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, the last 2 weeks of which was conducted on half rations and little water. On October 8, 1862, he was in the fighting at Perryville, Boyle County, Kentucky, which is also called the Battle of Chaplin Hills. While this was the 15th's first big battle, it emerged without any fatalities.
On December 26, 1862, 1st Sergeant Heyer would have participated in the 15th's desperate charge upon a Confederate artillery battery at Knob Gap, Tennessee, just south of the City of Nashville. There the 15th captured a brass cannon. He is known to have fought at the long, cold, wet, and bloody Battle of Stone River, Tennessee, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro, on December 30-31, 1862. It is there that the 15th first suffered serious battle casualties, and was cited for bravery. On December 31st, the second day of the battle, 1st Sergeant Heyer was captured by Confederates.
1st Sergeant Heyer was subsequently transported to the City of Richmond, State of Virginia, where he was held as a prisoner of war starting January 13, 1863. He was then paroled to Union forces at the Town of City Point, Virginia, on February 3, 1863. 1st Sergeant Heyer was next reported as being in Camp Parole at the City of Annapolis, State of Maryland, on February 5, 1863. He was then sent to Benton Barracks, near the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, to be formally exchange. After being exchanged for a Confederate, Heyer returned to the 15th in March, 1863. The regiment was then camped near the Town of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Starting June 23, 1863, the regiment took part in U.S. Major General Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign. On July 3, 1863, the 15th went into camp at the Town of Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee, for 6 weeks. According to Ager's 1916 history of the 15th Wisconsin, 1st Sergeant Heyer was commissioned by the Governor of Wisconsin as the 2nd Lieutenant of Company B on July 16, 1863. However, according to Buslett's 1895 history of the 15th, 1st Sergeant Heyer was commissioned as the 2nd Lieutenant of Company B on February 1, 1864, and was transferred back to Company C on April 25, 1864. Whichever the case may be, 1st Sergeant Heyer was never mustered-into the Army as a Lieutenant.
On August 17, 1863, the 15th left Winchester to participate in General Rosecran's Chickamauga campaign. 1st Sergeant Heyer is believed to have been present at the daring early morning crossing of the Tennessee River on August 28th, which the 15th led. He was also present at the September 19-20, 1863, fighting at Chickamauga, Georgia -- the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. There on the afternoon of the first day 1st Sergeant Heyer was wounded in the "right thigh" during the vicious fighting around Viniard's Farm. Some 63% of the 15th's soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.
1st Sergeant Heyer was absent from the regiment recovering from his wound until sometime in February, 1864. Lieutenant Heyer served with the 15th all through General Sherman's famous campaign to capture Atlanta, Georgia, in the spring and summer of 1864, including the disastrous May 27, 1864, Battle of Pickett's Mill, Georgia, which is often referred to as the Battle of Dallas or New Hope Church. There the 15th suffered fearful casualties.
Starting in May, 1864, the 15th participated in General Sherman's famous campaign to capture the City of Atlanta, Georgia. This campaign was marked by almost daily marching and/or combat for 4 months. The 15th took part in the fighting at Rocky Face Ridge, Georgia, in early May, at the bloody Battle of Resaca, Georgia, on May 14-15, and at the disastrous Battle of Pickett's Mill (often called Dallas or New Hope Church), Georgia, on May 27, 1864. There the 15th suffered 50% casualties, including 25 men captured who were sent to the infamous Andersonville Prison Camp.
The 15th also took part in the fighting at Kenesaw Mountain, Geogia, on June 23, before Atlanta on July 22, at Jonesboro, Georgia, on September 1, and at Lovejoy Station, Georgia, on September 4, 1864. After a rest following the capture of Atlanta in early september, 1864, the 15th was briefly assigned to Provost (police) duty in Chattanooga at the beginning of October, 1864. This was followed by several months of guarding a railroad bridge at Whitesides, Tennessee, near Chattanooga, which some of the 15th's soldiers felt was the easiest duty of their war service.
On December 31, 1864, 1st Sergeant Heyer was mustered out of Federal service at Chattanooga, upon the expiration of his 3 year term of service.
Sources: Oberst Heg og hans gutter [Colonel Heg and His Boys] by Waldemar Ager (Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 1916); Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillage [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers] by Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1895); Civil War Compiled Military Service Records by Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); and, Regimental Descriptive Rolls, Volume 20 Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1885).
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