Company A Roster Battle of Chickamauga 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry The Scandinavian Regiment

Captain John M. Johnson of Company A
Killed in action leading his company at Chickamauga, Georgia
Photo Collection PH2361, State Historical Society of Wisconsin
Picture appearing above has been electronically enhanced by Deep Vee Productions

The September 19-20, 1863, Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, was the second bloodiest battle of the American Civil War (1861-1865). According to official records, the 15th Wisconsin took 176 officers and enlisted men into the battle and suffered 111 killed, wounded, or missing (presumed to be prisoners) -- a staggering 63% casualty rate.

Considerable efforts were made to determine, to the extent that records permit, where each 15th soldier was, and what happened to him, at Chickamauga.  This is one of a number of the efforts made to provide a detailed historical background for the Civil War reenactors who portrayed the Scandinavian Regiment at the Chickamauga reenactment, which took place September 17-19, 1999, in northern Georgia near the site of the original fighting. I t is hoped that this information will also prove of value to descendants of 15th soldiers.

This page contains what is believed to be a nearly complete list of all the soldiers who were still members of Company A as the time of Chickamauga. The men of Company A called themselves the "St. Olaf's Rifles."  They were also known as the "Sailor Company" because many of them were seamen before the war, and as the "Chicago Company" because many of them were residents of that city.  Even before the battle Company A was much reduced from its muster-in strength of early 1862.  This was primarily due to deaths and discharges from the Army as a result of battles and disease, but also from a lack of recruits (replacements).  After 2 hellish days at Chickamauga it was reduced to just a handful of survivors led by a Sergeant.

The table below contains the names and fates of soldiers who are known or believed to have been with Company A during the fighting.  After the table is a list of the soldiers who are known or believed to have been away from the company during the battle.  Clicking on a soldier's name that is underlined and in color will bring up a detailed profile of his military service.  To see a list of definitions for the abbreviations and terms used, click HERE.

Based on a careful review of the sources cited below, it seems virtually certain that Company A went into the Battle of Chickamauga with 2 of its 3 Commissioned Officers, 5 Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO's), and at least 19 Privates.  A review of the same sources suggests that as many as 5 other Privates were also in the company's ranks at the start of the battle (these men are shown below with a question mark after their name).  Further research should yield evidence on their whereabouts, and may well result in other changes to the information below.

Sources: Civil War Compiled Military Service Records by Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); Regimental Descriptive Rolls, Volume 20 by Office of Adjutant General State of Wisconsin, (Madison, Wisconsin, 1885); Return of Killed, Wounded, and Missing in Action in the 15th Regt. Wis. Vol. Inf. at Chickamauga, Ga. on the 19th & 20th of September 1863; Report of Missing From the 15th Regt. Wisconsin Vols. (Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 16, 1863); and RETURN of the 15th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, Army of the United States, for the month of September 1863 by Adjutant Lewis G. Nelson (Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 12, 1863).

The following members of Company A are either known or believed not to have been in its ranks during the battle.

1st Lieutenant Henry Siegel on detached duty as 1st Division Provost Marshal. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. Reported absent without leave Sept. 21, '63. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Sergeant Jacob Aargaard absent in Pioneer Corps since Nov. 26, '62. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Niels Arneson absent in Pioneer Corps. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Musician George Adolph Boye on duty with regiment as a Fifer. Survived battle unhurt. M.O. Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Charles A. Dahl on duty with 1st Division Provost Guard, Dec. 20, '62, until Oct. '63. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Sergeant Ole K. Hanson absent as Wagon Master with 1st Division wagon train since Sept. 16, '63. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. Wounded 5 times (3 times in the same leg) and captured May 27, '64, Pickett's Mill, Ga. Earned nickname of "bravest man in the regiment." Survived Andersonville Prison, Ga. M.O. Nov. 17, '65, Madison, Wis., term exp. Awarded rank of Brevet Captain in 1867 for "distinguished gallantry" at Pickett's Mill.
Private Peter Hansen present with the Pioneer Brigade "received a wound on the back of his neck by a shell." M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Edward Howland absent serving with the 20th Corps Inspector since July 22, '63. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Sergeant Andrew Johnson absent serving as Teamster with the 1st Division Supply wagon train. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Christian Johannesen absent sick in a convalescent camp near Murfreesboro, Tenn. Trans. to Co. H, Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn. Trans. Feb. 13, '65, to 24th Wisc. Vet. Vol. Inf. Regt. M.O. Mar. 13, '65, term exp.
Corporal Lars Johannesen on duty as the regiment's Baker, probably with the commissary staff at Crawfish Springs during the fighting. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. M.O. Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Martin Jorgenson absent recovering from wounds received Dec. 31, '62, at Stone River, Tenn. M.O. Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Ole Knudsen absent sick in a convalescent camp near Murfreesboro, Tenn., recovering from having been captured at Stone River, Tenn. Disch. Nov. 17. '63, disabilities.
Private Andrew Larsen absent sick in a convalescent camp near Murfreesboro, Tenn. Trans. to U.S. Navy May 5, '64, Ringgold, Ga.
Private Lorents Nielsen absent sick in Chicago recovering from wounds received at Stone River, Tenn. Trans. Oct. 6, '64, to V.R.C.
Private Jonas Norem absent paroled prisoner of war, Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., awaiting exchange, having been captured Dec. 29, '62, Stone River, Tenn. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Gabriel E. Somme absent at a convalescent camp near Murfreesboro, Tenn., recovering from wounds received at Stone River, Tenn. Captured May 27, '64, Pickett's Mill, Ga. Absent "prisoner of war" at M.O. of Regt.
Private Henry Sporland absent sick at Bowling Green, Ky., since Sept. 17, '62. Trans. Aug. 15, '64, to V.R.C.
Private Isak Syvertsen absent as Teamster with 1st Division Supply wagon train. Survived battle, apparently unhurt. M.O. with Co. A on Dec. 20, '64, Chattanooga, Tenn., term exp.
Private Jonas Thompson was absent sick in Murfreesboro, Tenn., since July 1, '63. Disch. Feb. 19, '64, disability.

This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep Vee Productions.
All Rights Reserved. Created January 24, 1999. Last updated January 12, 2001.

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