Colonel Heg and His Boys

by Waldemar Ager

Oberst Heg og hans Gutter
Waldemar Theodor Ager (1916)
(Digitized on-line at the Hathi Trust digital library)

Colonel Heg and his Boys
Translation by Della Kittleson Catuna and Clarence A. Clausen
Published by the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA)
Available for purchase from NAHA online.

Ager collected substantial material on the Union Army's Fifteenth Wisconsin Regiment, made up mostly of Norwegians and headed by one, Colonel Hans Christian Heg. When Ager supervised a Wisconsin exhibit for Norway's 1914 Centennial Exhibition, he brought along much of that material, including the regiment's battle-torn banner.

Two years later, Ager published his book on the Fifteenth Wisconsin. He intended it not to be a history, but a sort of scrap book, proof that immigrants--especially Norwegian immigrants--had something vital to contribute to America. In addition to containing some of Ager's essays, Oberst Heg og hans Gutter offers letters, photos, first-hand accounts and battlefield maps. Ager used the book as part of his fund drive for a statue of Heg, which was raised in 1925 at the state capitol in Madison. And much of the historical material found its way into another of Ager's books, Sons of the Old Country. In it, the protagonist joins the Fifteenth Wisconsin, fights, suffers wounds and is incarcerated in the Andersonville prison camp.

Description

The following is the table of contents from “Colonel Heg and His Boys: A Norwegian Regiment in the American Civil War.”

Introduction (Harry T. Cleven, pp. xi-xx)
Foreword (p. xxi)
The Norwegian Regiment in the American Civil War (Waldemar Ager, pp. 3-10)
Observations from the Civil War (Ben Nelson, pp. 11-53)
The Norwegian Regiment at Chickamauga (Waldemar Ager, pp. 54-62)
Letter Written at the Front (pp. 63-135)
From Morten J. Nordre’s Diary (pp. 136-141)
Letters from Colonel Heg and Others (pp. 142-146)
Andersonville and Other Southern Prisoners (Ole Steensland, pp. 147-157)
The Battle of Murfreesboro or Stone’s River (pp. 158-175)
The Battle of Chattanooga (pp. 176-178)
Losses in the Norwegian Regiment in the Civil War (pp. 179-183)
Incidental Observations (pp. 184-190)
Additional Letters (pp. 191-198)
Colonel Hans C. Heg (pp. 199-204)
Colonel Ole C. Johnson (pp. 205-206)
The Last Reunion (pp. 207-209)
Hospital Memories (“A Veteran,” p. 210)
Crossing the Tennessee River (pp. 211-212)
A Poem about “The Fifteenth” (pp. 213-214)
List of Officers and Men of the 15th Wisconsin (pp. 215-255)
Index (pp. 256-262)

Colonel Heg Statue at the Wisconsin State Capitol

Hans Christian Heg (1829–1863) was a Norwegian American abolitionist, journalist, politician and soldier.

During the early 1900s, Norwegian-American communities in Wisconsin began discussing the idea of honoring Heg with a statue. Ager, using his influence as the editor of Reform, his Norwegian-language newspaper in Eau Claire, helped rally support for the project. He wrote articles emphasizing Heg’s legacy, encouraging Norwegian Americans to take pride in their contributions to American history.

Ager and other Norwegian-American leaders worked to raise awareness and funds for the statue. The campaign gained traction, and with the backing of organizations like the Norwegian Society of America and other ethnic heritage groups, they successfully persuaded Wisconsin state officials to approve the project.

The Unveiling of the Statue in 1926

The bronze statue of Colonel Heg, sculpted by Norwegian-American artist Paul Fjelde, was finally unveiled on October 17, 1926, in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The ceremony was a major event for the Norwegian-American community, attended by dignitaries, civic leaders, and thousands of Norwegian immigrants and their descendants.

Ager was there, witnessing the culmination of years of effort. His work in promoting Norwegian-American identity, history, and civic engagement had helped bring the statue to reality. The dedication was a proud moment for Norwegian Americans, reinforcing their contributions to the country and honoring one of their greatest Civil War heroes.

Ager’s Legacy in Norwegian-American Heritage

This campaign was just one example of Ager’s lifelong dedication to strengthening the Norwegian-American identity. Through journalism, literature, and activism, he worked to ensure that the sacrifices and achievements of immigrants like Heg were not forgotten. His efforts helped cement Colonel Heg’s place in Wisconsin’s historical memory, and the statue remains a lasting tribute to both men’s legacies.