Born circa 1833, at _______________________, Kingdom of Norway
Parents
were ____________________ (1___-18__) and ____________________ (1___-18__)
Immigrated
to America, 18__
Married ________ __, 18__, to ______________________ at
__________________________
Died June 5,
1864, Andersonville Prison Camp, Macon County, State of Georgia
Buried Grave 1655,
Andersonville National Cemetery, Macon County, Georgia
Halvor H. Hofland was enlisted in Company K of the 15th Wisconsin by 2nd Lieutenant (Secondløitnant) Olaus Solberg at the Town of Decorah, Winneshiek County, State of Iowa, on January 25, 1862. The men of Company K called themselves "Clausen's Guards" in honor of the 15th's first Chaplain, Pastor Claus L. Clausen.
Halvor was appointed to the rank of Sergeant (Sersjant) in Company K on February 1, 1862. He was mustered into Federal service at that rank for a 3 year term of service on February 11, 1862, at Camp Randall, near the City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. At the time he was listed as being 28 years old and married. Army records state that he had blue eyes, dark hair, a light complexion, and stood 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall. His occupation was recorded as "Farmer" and his residence as Winneshiek County, Iowa.
After about a month at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Sergeant Hofland left there in early March, 1862, with his company and regiment to join the war. From then until late December, 1862, he was recorded as "present" with the 15th. As such he would have been at the Siege of Island No. 10, in the State of Tennessee, and the Raid on Union City, Tennessee, in the spring of 1862.
On July 1, 1862, Sergeant Hovland was promoted to the rank of 1st Sergeant (Oversersjant) of Company K. This was the highest ranked Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) position in a Civil War company. As such, 1st Sergeant Hovland ran Company K for its 3 commissioned officers, who were at that time: Captain Mons Grinager, the company commander; 1st Lieutenant Ole Peterson, who was second-in-command; and 2nd Lieutenant John E. Irgens, who was the third-in-command.
At the time of his promotion the 15th was in the midst of the regiment's summer campaign though Tennessee and the States of Mississippi and Alabama. This concluded with a grueling 400 mile retreat with U.S. Major General Don Carlos Buell up to the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, with the last 2 weeks being made on half rations and little water. During the retreat both of the company's Lieutenants resigned their commissions and left the Army. For a short while this left 1st Sergeant Hovland as the effective second-in-command.
On October 8, 1862, 1st Sergeant Hofland would have been in the fighting at the Town of Perryville, Boyles County, Kentucky, which was also called the Battle of Chaplin Hills. While this was the first big battle that the 15th took part in, it emerged without any fatalities. A few days later 2nd Sergeant Andrew Clement of Company D was commissioned as the new 1st Lieutenant of Company K, and at the end of November John P. Strommer was commissioned as the company's new 2nd Lieutenant.
Starting December 26, 1862, 1st Sergeant Hofland was "left sick" in the City of Nashville, State of Tennessee. He thus missed fighting in the long, cold, wet, and bloody Battle of Stone River, Tennessee, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro. 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, Williamson County, Tennessee. 1st Sergeant Hofland was absent sick until sometime in mid-to-late April, 1863. He was then listed as "present" with the 15th until mid-September, 1863. In early June, 1863, Sergeant Ellend Errickson was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of Company K, replacing Lieutenant Stromer who had been tricked into resigning the previous month. Starting June 23, 1863, the regiment took part in U.S. Major General Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign. On July 3, 1863, the 15th went into camp at the Town of Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee, for 6 weeks.
On August 17, 1863, 1st Sergeant Hofland left Winchester with the 15th to participate in General Rosecran's Chickamauga campaign. 1st Sergeant Hofland 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 entire Civil War. There on the afternoon of the first day he was captured by Confederate troops during the vicious fighting around Viniard's Farm. Some 63% of the 15th's soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.
After the battle 1st Sergeant Hofland was marched to Tunnel Hill, Georgia, with other captured 15th soldiers. From there he was transported by railroad train to the City of Atlanta, Georgia, and then on to the City of Richmond, State of Virginia, where he was confined in Libby Prison beginning September 29, 1863. On November 20, 1863, 1st Sergeant Hofland was removed to Hospital 21 for treatment of "diarrhea" and then returned to prison on November 24, 1863.
On December 12, 1863, 1st Sergeant Hofland was transported by railroad train to a prison in the City of Danville, Virginia, after which he was sent further south to the infamous Andersonville Prison Camp in Georgia. There, on May 18, 1864, 1st Sergeant Hofland was admitted to the prison hospital, where he died of "anasarca" (generalized edema or dropsy) less than 3 weeks later.
Sources: 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).
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