Col. Hans Heg Camp 15

Wind Lake

Camp Officers:


Commander: Sam Keith
Sr. Vice Commander: Jerry Coveney
Jr. Vice Commander: PDC Jeff Graf
Secretary / Treasurer: PDC Brian McManus
Council #1: Gerry Drought
Council #2: DC Robert Koenecke
Council #3: PDC Jeff Graf
Patriotic Instructor: PDC Brian McManus
Chaplain: Jerry Coveney
Graves Registration Officer: PDC Brian McManus
Civil War Memorials: DC Robert Koenecke
Guard: Tom Greil
Guide: Gerry Drought
Color Bearer: Gerry Drought
Eagle Scout Coordinator: PDC Brian McManus
Historian: PDC Brian McManus
Sergeant of the Guard: PCC David Daley
 
Information Contact: PDC Brian McManus

 

Col. Hans Heg

Col. Hans Heg

 

 

On Memorial Day this year, Camp #15 turned out to honor Col. Hans C. Heg, our camp's namesake, with a three-volley musket salute at his grave and a reading of Gen. Logan's general order honoring Civil War soldiers.

Camp meetings

The Camp meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Town of Norway Town Hall [map]. The Town Hall is located adjacent to Col. Heg's burial site at the Norway Lutheran Church, and across the road from Heg Park. There is a monument to Heg at the park, and his original homestead house is located a short distance from the park.

 

Memorial Day

At right, on Memorial Day this year, Camp #15 turned out to honor Col. Hans C. Heg, our camp's namesake, with a three-volley musket salute at his grave and a reading of Gen. Logan's general order honoring Civil War soldiers. That general order in 1868 marked the start of what became Memorial Day ceremonies across the country to honor soldiers who died serving their country.


 

About Col. Hans Heg

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Heg was appointed by Governor Alexander Randall as colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment. The 15th Wisconsin was called the "Scandinavian Regiment" since its soldiers were almost all immigrants from Norway, with some from Denmark and Sweden. It was the only all-Scandinavian regiment in the Union Army.

Heg commanded the regiment during the Battle of Stones River. In response to his conduct at Stones River, Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans placed Colonel Heg in command of the newly formed 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division, XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland, on 1 May 1863.

On 19 September 1863, Colonel Heg led his brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga, where he was mortally wounded. Heg "was shot through the bowels and died the next day." Upon hearing of Heg's death, Rosecrans expressed regret, saying he had intended to promote Heg to brigadier general. As it was, Colonel Heg was the highest-ranked Wisconsin soldier killed in combat during the Civil War.

Heg was buried at the Norway Lutheran Church Cemetery near Wind Lake, Wisconsin. Camp 15 meets at the Norway Town Hall, which is a short distance away.

 

Camp Publications

The current Camp 15 By-laws are available for download by Camp members. While identical in content, this website version does not contain the Camp and Department Commander's authorized signatures. This document is designed to be printed double-sided.

Newsletters

 

Camp Calendar

Days the flag should be flown Days the flag should be flown

4 April: Camp 15 meeting, 7 p.m., Norway Town Hall, Wind Lake
13 April: American's Creed Day (Wisconsin)
13 April: 67th Annual Lincoln Tomb Ceremony, 10 a.m., Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, IL
1 May: Loyalty Day
2 May: Camp 15 meeting, 7 p.m., Norway Town Hall, Wind Lake
27 May: Days the flag should be flown Memorial Day Mass and Ceremony, 10 a.m., Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee
6 June: Camp 15 meeting, 7 p.m., Norway Town Hall, Wind Lake
14 June: Days the flag should be flown Flag Day
4 July: Camp 15 meeting, 7 p.m., Norway Town Hall, Wind Lake
4 July: Days the flag should be flown Independence Day
1 - 4 August: SUVCW and Allied Orders National Encampment, Lexington, Kentucky
2 Sept: Days the flag should be flown Labor Day


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Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Department of Wisconsin

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Last Updated: 18 March 2024