15th Wisconsin, Gudmund Gudmundson (A Civil War Portrait), a poem by Erik Bye

Private John Johnson
Image WHi (X3) 30016, State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

This poem was written in the 1970's about a young Norwegian who served in the 15th Wisconsin during the 1860's. Mr. Bye has said he was inspired to write it after seeing the photo of a young soldier who served in the unit. At the time he did not know anything about the soldier, except that he died in the war. So Mr. Bye called him "Gudmund Gudmundson," a name which he says evokes the mountains of Western Norway. This is where many of the men who served in the "Valdres Kompani" ( Company F) immigrated from. While no one named Gudmund Gudmundson actually served in the 15th, there were many in it who fit his description. Recently the identity of the soldier in the photo has been learned: Private John Johnson.

Mr. Bye was kind enough to recite his poem as part of the 15th memorial service at the Chickamauga National Battlefield Park and again at the 15th ceremonies during the Chickamauga Reenactment on September 18-19, 1999. It brought tears to the eyes of many who heard it.

Say, who's that soldier on the wall, who looks at me so gravely,
and seems to aim his weapon at some danger in the sky?
Say, tell me who's that boy in blue who bites his lip so bravely,
to keep the fear of things to come from showing in his eye?
Oh, that's young Gudmund Gudmundson, all shined-up for his portrait,
a raw recruit with Colonel Heg in Eighteen-sixty-three.
But still they seem so far away, the gentle hills of Georgia,
where he shall taste the red, red dust, and "die to set men free."

But it's been so long, so don't you cry
for old Fifteenth Wisconsin,
so long ago, you needn't mourn
for Valdres Kompani.
At Chickamauga he's asleep,
so leave the gentle winds to weep
for Private Gudmund Gudmundson
from the Old Countree . . . .

But tell me, Gudmund Gudmundson, what did you see that morning,
just when that Rebel bullet struck - down Chickamauga way?
Say, did you glimpse, across the sea, beyond that last horizon,
the hills of home you left behind to reap a brighter day?
And did you curse the morning when you left to cross the ocean?
(Or was there little time to cuss, and barely time to pray?)
Or - did you see Wisconsin and your cabin and your woman,
still waiting for the mail to bring your lousy soldier's pay?

It's been so long, so don't you cry
for old Fifteenth Wisconsin,
so long ago, you needn't mourn
for Valdres Kompani.
At Chickamauga he's asleep,
so leave the gentle winds to weep
for Private Gudmund Gudmundson
from the Old Countree . . . .

You'r silent, Gudmund Gudmundson - I'll be the last to blame you
- and pallid as your portrait is the memory that remains.
But, did you die in Lincoln's faith in freedom for the people?
And did you hear, before you fell, the sound of breaking chains?
You're fading, Gudmund Gudmundson. Your face is slowly waning
into the smoke of cannon that went silent long ago.
Soon you'll be gone with every wind, and none shall be the wiser.
The heart of Gudmund Gudmundson no man shall ever know.

It's been so long, so don't you cry
for old Fifteenth Wisconsin.
So long ago, no need to mourn
for Valdres Kompani.
At Chickamauga he's asleep,
so leave the gentle winds to weep
for Private Gudmundson
from the Old Countree . . . .

About the Author

Mr. Erik Bye (pronounced Bee) was an internationally known author and veteran journalist from Norway. Mr. Bye's 45-year career earned him the title "the Father of Norwegian Broadcasting." American-born, he had close personal ties to the USA and to Wisconsin, where he came as a young student and earned an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which named him one of its Distinguished International Alumni in 1999. Throughout his career as a writer and radio and TV journalist, Mr. Bye had a keen interest in Scandinavian-American history. He produced numerous articles and TV series on this subject, as well as on modern American society. In December, 1999, a program he created about Colonel Heg and the 15th Wisconsin was aired on the Norwegian NRK TV network. One of Mr. Bye's books, Blow, Silver Wind, was written with the late Eric Sevareid, the legendary CBS Television reporter and commentator whose ancestors also came from western Norway. In recognition of their careers, both men were awarded Norway's highest honor, the Knight's Cross of the Royal Order of St. Olav. Mr. Bye, who was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement against the Nazis in World War II, had a life-long interest in the history of the America Civil War and the role Norwegians played in it. Mr. Bye passed on in October 2004.

Gudmund Gudmundson

(A Civil War Portrait)

By Erik Bye