Chickamauga Impression Background 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry The Scandinavian Regiment

Sergeant Rollin Olson of Company E
Captured September 19, 1863, at Chickamauga, Georgia
Photo courtesy of his Great Great Grandneice Susan Minkus
Picture shown above has been electronically enhanced by Deep Vee Productions

This section of the web site contains background information for the Civil War reenactors who will be portraying 15th Wisconsin soldiers at the September 17-19, 1999, reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia.  This information is intended as a supplement to the detailed requirements and guidelines that will be issued by the Army of the Pacific (AoP), which will be portraying the 15th as its guiding impression for the reenactment weekend.

Some ninety percent of the 15th's soldiers were immigrants from Norway, with many of the rest coming from Denmark and Sweden -- hence the regiment's name.  They were living in settlements in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota when Heg's appeal was published in this widely read, Wisconsin-based Norwegian language newspaper.  Over nine hundred volunteered to serve in the regiment; there were no draftees in the 15th.

While some of the 15th's soldiers had arrived in America during the 1840's and 1850's, many were 'just off the boat.'  Colonel Heg required his officers to read, write, and speak English, but most of the enlisted men knew little or none when they joined.  Even by Chickamauga, after nearly 2 years in the service, Norwegian was the dominant conversational language in the 15th.  Letters and diaries were written in it, and it was spoken in camp, on the march, and in the heat of battle.  Thanks to members of the 15th Wisconsin (Norway) and the 3rd and 33rd Wisconsin (USA), reenactors can improve their 15th impression by learning common commands, words, and phrases spoken in Norwegian.  If your computer has a sound card and speakers and the software to play .wav files, then you will also be able to hear these words and phrases spoken by a native Norwegian speaker.  To go to these language resources, click HERE.

When Company E was mustered for pay a few weeks before Chickamauga, the Brigade Inspector judged its discipline, instruction, military appearance, and accoutrements as "good," its arms in "good order," and its clothing "worn."  Over the next 18 days the regiment marched 140 miles over mountainous countryside on terrible roads, including 20 miles the day before the battle.  That night they were awakened at Midnight and ordered to pack rations.  During the early morning hours it stormed.

By the time they deployed near Viniard's Farm at around 1 o'clock that afternoon, the 15th's officers and enlisted men were tired and dirty, but they deployed in good order, ready to fight.

By the end of the 2 day battle the 15th had suffered sixty-three percent of its soldiers killed, wounded, or taken prisoner, including all of its field officers. The next morning only 75 of its members were present at roll call. If it had not been for the arrival of Companies I and G from Island No. 10 -- which effectively doubled the size of the regiment -- the 15th would have been consolidated into another unit and ceased to exist.

The information above is just a small part of the research being gathered and posted online to assist reenactors in preparing their individual impressions to get the most out of this reenacting opportunity and to honor the 15th's soldiers and the sacrifices they made for their adopted country.

This page Copyright by Scott Cantwell Meeker of Deep Vee Productions.
All Rights Reserved. Created January 24, 1999. Last updated March 6, 2001.

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