Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Andrew A. Dahl was enlisted in Company D of the 15th WI by Captain Charles Campbell on December 2, 1861 at Portage City, Columbia County, WI. The men of Company D called themselves the “Norway Wolf Hunters.” They were also known as the “Waupun Company” because a number of them were residents of that WI town. The day after he enlisted, he married Walbor Tennyson on December 3, 1861. Andrew was mustered into Federal service as a Private (Menig) for 3 years service on December 8, 1861, at Camp Randall, near Madison, Dane County, WI. At the time he was 25 years old and married. His residence was listed as Lewiston, Columbia County, WI.

On January 1, 1862, Private Dahl was appointed as a Corporal (Korporal) of Company D. On January 14, 1862, the men of the 15th were issued Belgian rifle muskets. After nearly 3 months at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Private Dahl left there on March 2, 1862, with his company and regiment to join the war. During the period March 14-31, 1862, he was listed as “on detached duty” at Birds Point, MO, which is on the Mississippi River. From then until late November 1863, he was recorded as “present” with the regiment. As such he would have participated in the successful siege of Island No. 10 on the Mississippi River in TN, and the surprise raid on Union City, TN, in March and April 1862. Starting June 11, 1862, he would have left Island No. 10 with the 15th to take part in a Union Army summer campaign though TN, MS, and AL.

In August and September Corporal Dahl would have been on the grueling 400-mile retreat with Major General Don Carlos Buell up to Louisville, KY, with the last 2 weeks being on half rations and short of water. On October 8, 1862, he would have been in the fighting at Perryville, Boyle County, KY, which was also called the Battle of Chaplin Hills. While this was the 15th’s first big battle, it emerged without any fatalities. On December 1, 1862, Corporal Dahl was appointed as a Sergeant in Company D.

On December 26, 1862, Sergeant Dahl would have participated in the 15th’s desperate charge upon a Confederate artillery battery at Knob Gap, TN, just south of Nashville. There the 15th captured a brass cannon. He would have also fought at the long, cold, wet, and bloody Battle of Stones River, TN, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro, on December 30-31, 1862. 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 Franklin, TN. Starting June 23, 1863, the regiment left the Murfreesboro area to take part in the Tullahoma campaign led by Major General William S. Rosecrans. On July 3, 1863, the 15th went into camp at Winchester, Franklin County, TN for 6 weeks.

On August 17, 1863, the 15th left Winchester to participate in General Rosecrans’ Chickamauga campaign. Sergeant Dahl 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, GA — the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Sergeant Dahl survived the vicious fighting around Viniard’s Farm on the first afternoon, as well as the near capture of the regiment close to Brotherton Field around midday on the 20th during what is now known as Longstreet’s Breakthrough. Some 63% of the 15th’s soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. About half of Company D became casualties there (to see their fates, click HERE).

Sergeant Dahl then served with the regiment during the Confederate siege of Chattanooga, TN, which began right after the battle. The siege resulted in severe shortages of medicine, food, and firewood which, together with cold, wet weather, caused much suffering, sickness, and death. Starting October 13, 1863, Sergeant Dahl was assigned as a Guard with the Army supply wagon train from Chattanooga over the mountains to the Federal depot at Stevenson, AL. This was by all accounts a physically challenging and dangerous trip. Sergeant Dahl was once again with the 15th in early November 1863. The Confederate siege was finally broken by the Union Army’s victorious charge up Mission Ridge on November 25, 1863, which the 15th took part in.

Starting right after Mission Ridge, the 15th was engaged in almost non-stop marching and counter-marching all over Eastern TN throughout the winter of 1863/1864. By many original accounts, this was the worst period of the regiment’s 3-year term of service. Poor rations, inadequate clothing and shelter, and unseasonably cold weather made these months nearly unbearable. However, from November 28, 1863, until January 1864, Sergeant Dahl was listed as “absent sick” in Chattanooga, so he missed some of it.

Sergeant Dahl then served as a “regimental Pioneer” with the 15th during the famous campaign led by U.S. Major General William T. Sherman to capture Atlanta, GA. This campaign was marked by almost daily marching and/or combat for 4 months. The 15th took part in the fighting at Rocky Face Ridge, GA in early May; at the bloody Battle of Resaca, GA on May 14-15; and at the disastrous Battle of Pickett’s Mill (often called Dallas or New Hope Church), GA on May 27, 1864. There the 15th suffered 50% casualties, including 29 soldiers who were taken prisoner (most died of malnutrition-related disease in the infamous Confederate prison camp at Andersonville, GA).

The 15th also took part in the fighting at Kenesaw Mountain, GA on June 23; Atlanta on July 22; at Jonesboro, GA on September 1; and at Lovejoy Station, GA on September 4, 1864. After a well-deserved rest following the capture of Atlanta in early September 1864, the 15th was briefly assigned to Provost (police) duty in Chattanooga in early October. This was followed by several months of guarding a railroad bridge at Whitesides, TN, near Chattanooga. Some of the 15th’s soldiers felt that this last post was the easiest duty of their entire war service. In December 1864, Sergeant Dahl is listed as being on duty as a “Scout.”

Sergeant Dahl was honorably mustered out of Federal service along with most of the other few surviving members of Company D on February 13, 1865, at Chattanooga, upon the expiration of his 3-year term of service. The Civil War ended some two months later in a Union victory.

After the war, he and his wife lived in WI before moving to MN. In 1880, he was living in Mason, Murray County, MN with his wife and children, Lars A. (1865 in WI) and B.S. (1877 in MN). He was working as a farmer. In 1900, Dahl and his wife were living in Connie, Chehalls County, WA. The census said that they had three children, but only two were living. Their son, Lars, was living next door. By 1910, Dahl’s wife was deceased, but his son Lars was still living next door.

Sources: Genealogical data by Thomas Dahl; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1894); Civil War Compiled Military Service Records, Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); Regimental Descriptive Rolls, Volume 20, Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1885); Rogaland fylke, Lund, Heskestad i Lund, Ministerialbok nr. A 7.1 (1833-1854), Fødte og døpte [Births and deaths] 1836, page 22; Wisconsin Marriage Records, Batch Number M00339-5, GS Film number 1275881; 1880 Census, Roll: 627, Family History Film: 1254627, Page: 17B, Enumeration District: 176, Image: 0036; 1900 Census, Roll: 1741, Page: 1B, Enumeration District: 0002, FHL microfilm: 1241741; and 1910 Census, Roll: T624_1653, Page: 3B, Enumeration District: 0009, FHL microfilm: 1375666.