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A Flag for the 15th15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
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Reproduction flag at Chickamauga National Military Park
Reenactor
Stein Are Karlsen (center) of the 15th Wisconsin in Norway
Photo by Greg Olson, Great Great Grandson of
Private Halvor O. Brendan
of Co. E
When the 15th marched into the vicious fighting at Chickamauga -- the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War -- Color Sergeant Anders J. Urness was proudly carrying the regiment's large National flag. Though faded and torn from nearly 20 months in the field, it was for the 15th's soldiers a symbol of their regiment, of their adopted country, and of the freedoms which, like that flag, they had sworn to defend with their lives. Over the next 2 days almost two-thirds of them would be killed, wounded, or taken prisoner while doing so.
On September 18, 1999, on land near the original battlefield, some 5,000 Federal and Confederate Civil War reenactors helped to recreate a portion of the 15th's deeds and sacrifices at Chickamauga . A great deal of work was undertaken to make that portrayal, called the "Assault of Heg's Brigade," as historically accurate as possible. This work was done by volunteers who generously donated their time, expertise, and money. Their contributions were made to honor the 15th's soldiers, and to help their descendants and the reenactors who portrayed those soldiers to better understand what happened at Chickamauga.
When the reenactors portraying the 15th Wisconsin took the field for the "Assault of Heg's Brigade," with them was a reenactor portraying Sergeant Urness and carrying the reproduction of the 15th's National flag shown above. The flag -- an authentic, full-size, handmade, silk reproduction that had been carefully aged so it looked like the original did at the time of the battle -- was created by Steven Hill of the Du Page Military Flag Company. Immediately after the reenactment, the flag was presented as a surprise gift to the Norwegian and Danish reenactors who had come from Europe to participate in the 15th Wisconsin portrayal. They will use it to honor the 15th's soldiers in their native lands.
The persons listed below generously contributed the money needed to reproduce the 15th's flag.
| Contributors | Affiliation | Dedications |
| Robert Anderson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of John Gilbertson Co. B |
| Donald B. "Rusty" Ayers, Jr. | Civil War Reenactor Regimental Volunteer Band of Wisconsin | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Michael & Marilyn Binder | Civil War Reenactor 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | In Memory of Oberst Heg og hans gutter (Colonel Heg and his boys) |
| Robert A. Braun | Civil War Reenactor 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | In
Memory of their sacrifice 15th Wisconsin Volunteers |
| Milton E. Brickson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Andrew Ellicksen Co. C and Albert Mikkelsen Co. F |
| Roger & Dawn Christiansen | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Great-Great Grandfather Charles Black Co. G |
| Robert Cuevas | Civil War Reenactor 1st Kansas | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Gene Estensen | 15th Descendent | In Memory of Charles Thompson, Peter Thompson, and John Johnson (Thoe) of Co. K |
| Michael A. "Ignatz Hogg" Ferenz | Civil War Reenactor The Hoggs Mess | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Steven Fortney | Author of Heg Novella | In Memory of
Hans Christian Heg 15th Wisconsin Field & Staff |
| David Gerow | Civil War Reenactor | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Dee Anna Grimsrud | Genealogist and Archivist State Historical Society of Wisconsin | In Honor of Ole K. Hanson of Co. A "the bravest man in the regiment" |
| Norman P. Grinager | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Mons Grinager Co. K |
| Jon M. Grinde | Idun Lodge 5-74 Sons of Norway | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Fredric Halvorson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of his Great Uncles Hans Halvorson Co. D and Nils Halvorson Co. F |
| Richard A. Halvorsen | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Hans Hanson Co. C |
| David A. Hanson and Family | 15th Descendant | In Memory of his Great Grandfather Charles Black Co. G. |
| Karen Morbeck Hayden | 15th Descendant | In Memory of her Father, Robert Charles Morbeck, and her Great Grandfather Christian O. Morbeck and his friend Torger Torgerson, both of Co. F |
| Captain James E. Heg, USN (ret.) | 15th Descendant | In Memory of his Great Grandfather Hans Christian Heg of 15th Field & Staff and Heg's Brigade |
| Iris Hemmingson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of her Great Grandfather Michael Thompson of Co. I |
| Lance J. Herdegen | Civil War Author and Civil War Reenactor | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| David M. Hovde | Civil War Reenactor 32nd Indiana Co. H | In Memory of the 15th's boys from Decorah, Iowa |
| Darrell E. Johnson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Osmund Johnson Co. K |
| Connie Julien | 15th Descendant | In Memory of her Great, Great Grandfather Peder Helgeson of Co. K |
| Richard A. Kilar, Jr. | Civil War Reenactor 7th Virginia Co. D | In
Memory of all who fought for what they believed in; foreign or American; Blue or Gray |
| Robert Knorr | 15th Descendant | In Memory of his Great Grandfather Gahr Aanunsen of Co. A |
| Ed Krogh, Jr. | Civil War Reenactor 7th Iowa Veteran Volunteers | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Glenda Jo Peterson Maynard & Family | 15th Descendants | In Memory of her Great Grandfather Peter Peterson (Teigen) Co. B |
| Brett Meeker | Civil War Reenactor 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | In Memory of Oberst Heg og hans gutter (Colonel Heg and his boys) |
| Scott Meeker & Kathleen Ernst | Civil War Reenactors 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | "Lest they be forgotten" |
| Greg & Peter Olsen | 15th Descendants and Civil War Reenactors | In Memory of Halvor Brenden, Co. E |
| Richard "Rick" Pahlau | Civil War Reenactor | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Marie M. Pearson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of the brothers Halvor Anderson and Syvert A. Anderson, and Halvor's friend Rognald Lasseson, all of Co. B |
| Ronald C. Pearson | 15th Descendant | In Memory his Great Great Maternal Uncles Halvor Anderson and Syvert A. Anderson, and Halvor's friend Rognald Lasseson, all of Co. B |
| Kres Peckham & Katherine Crowley | Civil
War Reenactors 33rd Wisconsin Co. E |
In Memory of Oberst Heg og hans gutter (Colonel Heg and his boys) |
| Robert "RJ" Samp | Civil War Reenactor 2nd Wisconsin Co. K | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Judith M. Sandberg | 15th Descendant | In Memory of John Heyer Co. D |
| Sam & Karolyn Solberg | Civil War Reenactors The Hegs | In Memory of Hans & Gunild Heg |
| Jeff Stewart | Civil War Reenactor 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | In Memory of Oberst Heg og hans gutter (Colonel Heg and his boys) |
| Bertha H. Swenson | 15th Descendant | In Memory of the brothers Halvor Anderson and Syvert A. Anderson, and Halvor's friend Rognald Lasseson, all of Co. B |
| Thorgrun Thompson-Odden | 15th Descendant | In Memory of his Great Uncle Andrew Thompson Co. F |
| Mike Thorson | 15th Descendant and Civil War Reenactor 33rd Wisconsin Co. E | In Memory of his Great, Great Grandfather Ellend Olson Brager and Ellend's Brother Knud O. Brager, both of Co. B |
| Robert E. Vits | 15th Descendant | In Memory of Charles Gustafson Co. F |
| BG C. Warnick | Civil War Reenactor 1st Federal Division Commander | In Memory of Colonel Heg |
| Douglas G. Wilson | Civil War Reenactor 1st Federal Division Staff | In Memory of the 15th Wisconsin |
| Steve Zirbes | Civil War Reenactor 3rd Wisconsin Co. C | In Memory of his Great, Great Grandfather-in-Law Nels Olans Co. B |
This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep
Vee Productions.
All Rights Reserved. Created March 28, 1999. Last updated August 26,
2000.