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Andrew A. DahlSergeant in Company D
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Believed taken circa late 1862-early 1863
Image courtesy of
Andrew's Great Grandson Thomas Dahl
Picture shown above has been electronically
enhanced by Deep Vee Productions
To view the original, un-retouched image, click
HERE.
Born August 4, 1836, at Flikkifiord, Kingdom of Norway
Parents were
Andrew Dahl (1___-18__) and Ctanila Serina Anderson (1___-18__)
Immigrated to America, 18__
Married
December 3, 1861, to Walbor Tennyson (Valbor Tonnesen) at Lewiston, Columbia County, State
of Wisconsin
Died April 9, 1916, of _________________ at Oakville, _________ County,
State of Washington
Buried Oakville Cemetery, Oakville, Washington
Andrew A. Dahl was enlisted in Company D of the 15th Wisconsin by Captain Charles Campbell on December 2, 1861, at Portage City, Columbia County, State of Wisconsin. The men of Company D called themselves the "Norway Wolf Hunters." They were also known as the "Waupun Company" because a number of them were residents of that Wisconsin Town. Andrew was mustered into Federal service as a Private for 3 years service on December 8, 1861, at Camp Randall, near the City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. At the time he was 25 years old and married. His residence was listed as the Town of Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin.
On January 1, 1862, Private Dahl was appointed as a Corporal of Company D. On January 14, 1862, the men of the 15th were issued Belgian rifle muskets. After nearly 3 months at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Private Dahl left there on March 2, 1862, with his company and regiment to join the war. During the period March 14-31, 1862, he was listed as "on detached duty" at Birds Point, State of Missouri, which is on the Mississippi River. From then until late November, 1863, he was recorded as "present" with the regiment. As such he would have participated in the successful siege of Island No. 10 on the Mississippi River in the State of Tennessee, and the surprise raid on Union City, Tennessee, in March and April, 1862. Starting June 11, 1862, he would have left Island No. 10 with the 15th to take part in a Union Army summer campaign though Tennessee and the States of Mississippi, and Alabama.
In August and September Corporal Dahl would have been on the grueling 400 mile retreat with Major General Don Carlos Buell up to the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, with the last 2 weeks being on half rations and short of water. On October 8, 1862, he would have been in the fighting at the Town of 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 1, 1862, Corporal Dahl was appointed as a Sergeant in Company D.
On December 26, 1862, Sergeant Dahl 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 would have also 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.
The 15th camped in the Murfreesboro area for the next 6 months, except for 2 weeks in February when it was sent to the Town of Franklin, Tennessee. Starting June 23, 1863, the regiment left the Murfreesboro area to take part in the Tullahoma campaign led by Major General William S. Rosecrans. On July 3, 1863, the 15th went into camp at the Town of Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee, for 6 weeks.
On August 17, 1863, the 15th left Winchester to participate in General Rosecran's Chickamauga campaign. Sergeant Dahl was 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. Sergeant Dahl survived the vicious fighting around Viniard's Farm on the first afternoon, as well as the near capture of the regiment close to Brotherton Field around midday on the 20th during what is now known as Longstreet's Breakthrough. Some 63% of the 15th's soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. About half of Company D became casualties there (to see their fates, click HERE).
Sergeant Dahl then served with the regiment during the Confederate siege of the Town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which began right after the battle. The siege resulted in severe shortages of medicine, food, and firewood which, together with cold, wet weather, caused much suffering, sickness, and death. Starting October 13, 1863, Sergeant Dahl was assigned as a Guard with the Army supply wagon train from Chattanooga over the mountains to the Federal depot at the Town of Stevenson, Alabama. This was by all accounts a physically challenging and dangerous trip. Sergeant Dahl was once again with the 15th in early November, 1863. The Confederate siege was finally broken by the Union Army's victorious charge up Mission Ridge on November 25, 1863, which the 15th took part in.
Starting right after Mission Ridge, the 15th was engaged in almost non-stop marching and counter-marching all over Eastern Tennessee throughout the winter of 1863/1864. By many original accounts, this was the worst period of the regiment's 3 year term of service. Poor rations, inadequate clothing and shelter, and unseasonably cold weather made these months nearly unbearable. However, from November 28, 1863, until January, 1864, Sergeant Dahl was listed as "absent sick" in Chattanooga, so he missed some of it.
Sergeant Dahl then served as a "regimental Pioneer" with the 15th during the famous campaign led by U.S. Major General William T. Sherman 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 29 soldiers who were taken prisoner (most died of malnutrition-related disease in the infamous Confederate prison camp at Andersonville, Georgia).
The 15th also took part in the fighting at Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia, 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 well-deserved rest following the capture of Atlanta in early September, 1864, the 15th was briefly assigned to Provost (police) duty in Chattanooga in early October. This was followed by several months of guarding a railroad bridge at Whitesides, Tennessee, near Chattanooga. Some of the 15th's soldiers felt that this last post was the easiest duty of their entire war service. In December, 1864, Sergeant Dahl is listed as being on duty as a "Scout."
Sergeant Dahl was honorably mustered out of Federal service along with most of the other few surviving members of Company D on February 13, 1865, at Chattanooga, upon the expiration of his 3 year term of service. The American Civil War ended some two months later in a Union victory.
Sources: Genealogical data by Thomas Dahl; 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).
This page Copyright by
Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep
Vee Productions.
All Rights Reserved. Created April 4, 1999. Last updated September
29, 2003.