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Stone River15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
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Lieutenant Colonel David McKee of Field & Staff
Killed
December 31, 1862, Stone River, Tennessee
Collection PH2361, State
Historical Society of Wisconsin
This is the third portion of E. B. Quiner's history of the 15th Wisconsin, which fought in the Federal (Union) Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865). This portion covers the time period of December, 1862, to June, 1863. Information within brackets [ ] has been added to the original text by the webmaster to help modern readers understand what Mr. Quiner rightfully assumed mid-19th century readers would automatically know. Alternative spellings of 15th soldiers' names have also been added within brackets by the webmaster, using spelling from the 15th's official muster rolls. Finally, hot links have been added that will take you to on-line transcriptions of official documents and soldiers' letters, and to profiles of soldiers, which contain additional information about the 15th or its soldiers. Enjoy!
Source: Quiner, E. B., The Military History of Wisconsin: Civil and Military Patriotism of the State, in the War for the Union. Chicago, Illinois: Clarke & Company, Publishers, 1866. Chapter XXIII, pages 618-622.
"Returning to Edgefield Junction, the regiment moved to Nashville, and remained in camp, engaged in occasional skirmishing, or guarding forage trains, until the 26th of December, when they marched in company with the forces of General Rosecrans, to take part in the battle of [Stone River, also known as] Murfreesboro.
Davis' division was in the right wing of the army, under General McCook,
on the extreme right, and took position as the advance division. About one
o'clock, P.M., the enemy was found in position near Nolinsville, drawn up in
line of battle. A battery opened on the advancing division, which proved very
annoying, and was only silenced by Carlin's brigade swinging round to flank
their position, when they limbered up and started to the rear.
In front
of Carlin's division, about a mile distant, was a deep cut or gorge in the
mountain known as Knob Gap, through which the Nolinsville and Triune turnpike
passes. This gap is about 300 paces in width, closed in by steep bluff walls.
Here the rebels had placed eight pieces of artillery, with a large force of
dismounted cavalry in support. An order to Colonel Carlin, directed that the
battery be taken at any risk. It looked like a hopeless job, but Colonel Carlin
quietly turned to Lieutenant Colonel [David] McKee, of the Fifteenth, and ordered him to
take command of the skirmishers, and advance rapidly. McKee knew the danger of
the undertaking, but immediately responded to the order, and taking one company
from each regiment of Carlin's brigade, deployed them in front, and pushed
rapidly forward towards the gap, followed by the brigade. The rebel battery of
eight guns, opened with shell, and fired with fearful rapidity. Steadily, that
little band, under their indomitable leader, pushed on amid the bursting shell,
and other missiles, through cornfields and woods, and up and down hill, to the
very cannons' mouths. The skirmishers are near enough, and open fire. The
rebels reply with canister. The brigade soon gets with in range, and opens fire
along the whole line, and with a yell, make for the battery. The men were so
exhausted they could not get up a double quick. Colonel [Hans
C.] Heg dashed
forward on his horse, and the Fifteenth following with bayonets at a charge,
drove the enemy, who limbered up and retired, leaving one gun. Colonel Heg rode
forward on his horse, and with Lieutenant Colonel [David]
McKee, took possession of the
piece, a trophy for the Fifteenth Wisconsin.
Bivouacking at the Gap,
next day the command advanced two miles, and camped, remaining till Monday, the
29th, when they again moved towards Murfreesboro, and bivouacked, without fires,
the men resting on their arms.
On the morning of [December] the 30th, line of battle was formed, and the
regiment advanced. Company E, Captain [John] Ingmundson, was sent forward as
skirmishers, who reported to Lieut. Col. [David] McKee, in command of the skirmish line.
The enemy was encountered by the skirmish line, about 12 o'clock. About 2
o'clock, the Fifteenth was ordered to advance and occupy the position held by
the skirmishers, which was done, and Colonel Heg found that Captain Ingmundson
had been killed, and one of his men wounded. Driving in the enemy's
skirmishers, the regiment advanced slowly, through a heavy cedar thicket, under
a severe fire of grape and shell, Colonel Heg found the enemy in heavy force
behind a rail fence, near the house of Mrs. William Smith. His regiment
continued to advance, notwithstanding the heavy fire, to within a hundred yards
of the enemy's line, when another battery, on his left and front, opened a cross
fire of grape and canister on his command. The regiment on the right of the
Fifteenth, being unable to stand the enemy's fire, began to retire, when finding
his flank thus exposed, Colonel Heg directed his regiment to fall back slowly.
This they did, facing twice to the enemy, and delivering their fire, in going
200 yards, and taking position behind a fence, about 300 yards in advance of the
enemy, which they held till after dark, taking off their killed and wounded.
Their loss in this day's fight [December 30, 1862] was six killed and
thirty-five wounded.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, the regiment was
relieved by the picket guard, under Lieutenant Colonel McKee, and retired about
400 yards to the rear, where they rested on their arms, without fires.
Early
next morning, the regiment was in line of battle, with full ammunition boxes. A
brisk firing was heard to the right. It proved to be the attack of the rebels
on Johnson's division, which occupied the extreme right of the right wing, next
to which was Davis' division, in which the Fifteenth was brigaded. Colonel Heg
held the position occupied during the night, till the battery on his right
retired, when he fell back about 300 yards, to its support. The battery again
retired, to the vicinity of a house, which was occupied as a Union hospital. The
regiment retired with it, and again acted as its support.
Being anxious
to rejoin the brigade, Colonel Heg wheeled his regiment to the right, and
advanced in the direction where the brigade was posted, with a view to assist in
keeping the enemy in check. He took position near a fence, in the rear of the
Thirty-eighth Illinois, which was then holding the enemy at bay. During this
time, the forces of Johnson were retiring before the advancing enemy. The
Thirty-eighth Illinois also retired, and the Fifteenth opened fire on the enemy,
who was then within 200 yards, advancing towards them in solid column. The
position was held until the appearance of a heavy force on the right left no
alternative but to retire or be taken prisoners. While engaged at this point,
Lieutenant Colonel McKee and several others were killed, and several wounded.
From this position, Colonel Heg found great difficulty in extricating his
command, as he had to retire through an open field, with the enemy accumulating
a heavy force on his right flank, which was pouring in a terrible fire. Joining
the remains of Carlin's brigade, near the hospital on the hill before mentioned,
the command retired to the Murfreesboro Pike, where the rest of the right wing
had congregated, between the railroad and pike. The regiment again took
position behind a fence when within 400 or 500 yards of the pike, and opened
fire, but the overpowering numbers of the enemy, compelled them again to retire.
Crossing the turnpike, the men were again rallied at the railroad track, where
they remained during the rest of the day. Here in the railroad cut, which
passed through a hill, Rosecrans massed his infantry, and concentrated a large
number of his guns. As the triumphant rebels would rush up in pursuit of our
retiring forces, these guns would open, and the infantry would deploy from the
railroad cut and pour in a devastating fire, and their ranks would go down like
grass before the mower.
The command remained in this position during
the lst and 2d of January, 1863, engaged in skirmishing with the enemy's
pickets. On the evening of the 2d, they moved across Stone River, where the
left wing, under General Crittenden, had been stationed, from which it had been
forced to retire, taking position on a high point of land in front of the enemy,
three-fourths of a mile from the river, where they remained until the morning of
the 4th, constantly skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, in a drenching rain,
without fires or shelter, and with scanty rations. For five days Colonel Heg's
regiment fought or skirmished almost continually, without a word of murmuring or
dissatisfaction. In this engagement, our Scandinavian soldiers displayed a
courage and endurance, second to no regiment on that bloody field.
Lieutenant
Colonel [David] McKee was killed instantly, by a shot in the head. Captain
[John] Ingmundson
was also killed. The loss of these officers was a sore calamity. Captains
[George] Wilson,
[Mons] Grinager, and
Lieutenant [Thor] Simonson, were wounded in the engagement on the 30th, but remained
with their companies, and brought them, in good order, off the field. Captain [Carl]
Gustaveson
was slightly wounded in the foot. [To review the official report by Colonel
Heg on the the skirmish at Knob Gap and the Battle of Stone's
River/Murfreesboro, click
HERE]
The
casualties, from December 30th to January 4th, 1863, [at the Battle of Stone
River/Murfreesboro] were reported, as follows:
KILLED OR DIED OF WOUNDS. -- Field Officer -- Lieutenant Colonel David McKee. Company A -- Sergeant Ole Back, Privates Knute Peterson [Knud Peterson], Ole Larson [Ole Larsen] and Henry Ellison [Henry Ellingsen]. Company B -- Corporal Torgrin Mikkleson [Torgrim Mikklesen], Private Lars J. Olson. Company C -- Privates Gunder E. Hanson [Gunder E. Hansen], Mathias Mathiason [Matthias Mathiasen], Knud Finkelson [Knud Finkelsen] and B. C. Osmundsen [Bernt C. Osmundsen]. Company D -- Privates Nils Nelson [Nels Nelson] and Ole Lee. Company E -- Captain John Ingmundson [John Ingmundsen], Corporal Andrew Johnson, Private Christopher H. Lee. Company F -- Privates Ole N. Knutsen [Ole N. Knudsen], Knud Iverson [Knud Iversen], Johan Flack, and Torger Torgerson [Torger Torgersen]. Company H -- Corporal Anders L. Fosse [Fosse was awarded the rank of Brevet Captain for bravery at this battle] , Privates Hans Gulbrandson, Lars O. Dokken and Knud Larson. Company K -- [1st] Sergeant Knud R. Olson, Private John Martinson [ Johannes Martinson] -- 25 [total].
WOUNDED. -- Company A -- Sergeant Ormond Peterson Amund Peterson, Corporal Hans Ingebretson [Hans Ingebretsen], Privates Gahn Annunson [Gahr Aanunsen], Martin Jorgenson [Martin Jorgensen], Gabriel E. Somme, Jonas Thompson, Halver Jorgenson [Halvor Jorgensen] and Lorenz Nelson [Lorents Nielson]. Company B -- Privates Albert A. Nelson, Anfind Syverson, Syvert A. Anderson and Lewis Nelson [also Erick N. Basness (Barsness)]. Company C -- Corporal Samuel Johnson, Privates Lorenz Olson [Lorents Olsen], Torbjon Hanson [Torbjon Hansen], O.C. Bergenson [Ole C. Bergesen], Peter Jorgenson [Peter Jorgensen], Jacob Jordahl and Knudt Hanson [Knud Hansen]. Company D -- Sergeant Iver A. Brandt, Privates Halvor Olson [Halvor Olsen] and John Warp. Company E -- Second Lieutenant John N. Brown, Sergeant G. Gunderson [Gunder Gundersen], Privates Asbjorn Sacariason [Asbjorn Sachariasen], Ole Millesteen [Ole H. Milesteen], Jacob J. Lee, Iver Anderson [Iver Andersen], Ole Lindboe, Anan Kjellesvig [Anund Kjellesvig] and William Burgerson [William Bergesen]. Company F -- Captain Charles Gustaveson, Lieutenant Thor Simonson, Sergeants Johan Oberg and Nils J. Gilbert, Corporals Gilbert Paulson [Gilbert Paulsen] and Andrew Thompson, Privates Sven Bjorgenson [Swen Bjorgason], Ole S. Olson [Ole S. Olsen], Ole Christenson [Ole Christenssen], Thor Thorkleson [Tove Thorkildsen], Charles O. Morbeck, Elling Ellingson [Elling Ellingsen] and Albert Olson [Albert Olsen]. Company H -- Captain George Wilson, Corporal Thomas Thompson, Privates Nils J. Eide, Peter Peterson, Thomas A. Lanvig [not listed in the 15th's muster rolls], Edlin P. Sime [Ellend P. Sime], Nils Emerson [Nils Einarson] and Christian L. Bolstad [Christen E. Bolstad]. Company K -- Captain Mons Grinager, Corporal Knud Anunson [ Knud Amundson], Privates Anders Gulbrandson, Iver Jacobson, Ole V. Wingard [Ole V. Wingaard] and T.K. Hundeley [Theodore K. Hundeby] -- 50 [total]. Missing, 81, mostly taken prisoners.
After the battle with the rest of [General] Rosecrans army, the regiment went into camp near Murfreesboro, where they suffered severely for the want of warm and comfortable clothing, provisions and tents. The enemy had obstructed the railroads, and supplies were with great difficulty got forward. [To review the official report on Stone River written by the 15th's brigade commander, Colonel Carlin, click HERE]
The regiment remained in camp south of Murfreesboro until the 23d of June, except about two weeks in February, when the division was sent to Franklin."
[To read excerpts from letters, diaries, and interviews of 15th soldiers about their experiences at Knob Gap and Stone River/Murfreesboro, click HERE]
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All Rights Reserved. Created January 14, 1999. Last updated April 2,
2002.