Hans Christian Heg
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Hans Christian Heg (December 21, 1829 – September 19, 1863) was a Norwegian immigrant to the United States of America who served as a colonel and brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Hans C. Heg was born in Lier, Norway. He immigrated with his family to America in 1840, settling in the Muskego Settlement in Wisconsin. Heg was a Major in the 4th Wisconsin Militia. He served as the State Prison Commissioner (the first Norwegian elected to a Wisconsin state-wide office). A member of the recently formed Republican Party, he was an outspoken anti-slavery activist.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, he was appointed by Wisconsin Governor Alexander Randall to be the Colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment. The 15th Wisconsin was called the Scandinavian Regiment because 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. On October 8, 1862, Colonel Heg led his regiment into its first big fight, the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky. Despite being under fire while driving the enemy back several miles, the 15th Wisconsin suffered few casualties and no fatalities. However, one of those hurt was Colonel Heg, who was injured when his horse fell.
Heg then commanded the 15th during the bloody Battle of Stones River in Tennessee. In response to his conduct at Stones River, General William Rosecrans placed Colonel Heg in command of the newly formed 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division, Twentieth Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, on May 1, 1863.
On September 19, 1863, Colonel Heg led his brigade at Battle of Chickamauga, where he was mortally wounded. Upon hearing of Heg's death, General 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.
There is a statue of Hans Christian Heg in Madison, Wisconsin and, in the town of Norway, Wisconsin (Wind Lake, Wisconsin). A copy of the statue stands in Lierbyen i Lier, Norway, Heg's birthplace. The Heg(g) farms are located in Lier. Along with the statue of Hans Christian Heg in the Town of Norway is also a Racine count park named in his honor; a museum containing Heg memorabilia is also located in the park. His original homestead house is located a short distance from the park. Another house owned by Heg was located at the current site of the Waterford Public Library.
Some of Heg's living descendants include his great grandson James E. Heg, Capt. USN (retired), his sons James T., John and Chris, as well as five grandchildren. Other living descendants include great granddaughters Katherine Heg Carlson, Mary Heg McLemore, Elizabeth Heg Brannstrom and Margaret Jean Heg Smith, and their children: Tim Carlson, Susan Wright, Megan McLemore, Nathan Smith, Raymond A. Smith III, Mary Pavia and Theresa Johnson, and seven other great great great grandchildren.
