Waukesha Times

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued a statement following the passage of his bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Muskego in honor of Colonel Hans Christian Heg.

“Colonel Hans Christian Heg is an American patriot in the truest sense. He was called to a higher purpose, serving as both a Colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War and as a staunch abolitionist,” said Rep. Fitzgerald (WI-05). “To ensure Colonel Heg’s legacy remains an enduring one, I was proud to receive the support of the entire Wisconsin delegation in passing my bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Muskego after Colonel Heg. It is my hope that when Wisconsinites see his name at the post office, they come to learn and know exactly who Colonel Hans Christian Heg was and what he stood for. May his legendary story of bravely serving our nation live on for generations to come.”

“Colonel Heg was an abolitionist, an immigrant, and military leader who died fighting to end slavery,” said Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-01). “The destruction of his statue in Madison was a sad chapter of the 2020 riots. I’m proud to have helped lead legislation that will honor Col. Heg for generations to come. Thank you to Rep. Fitzgerald, our local officials, and my colleagues in Wisconsin’s congressional delegation for their work to preserve Col. Heg’s legacy.”

BACKGROUND: In 1840, Colonel Hans Christian Heg immigrated to Wisconsin from Norway at just ten years old and his family settled in Muskego. Mr. Heg was eventually appointed Colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry, and he and his men went on to win a major battle for control of the Mississippi River at Island No. 10 during the Civil War and they were given the honor of raising the flag by battle commander Flag Officer Andrew Foote.

On September 20, 1863, at the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia, the 33-year-old Colonel was shot and killed in action while serving the Union. After the war, veterans raised funds to erect a cannonball pyramid at Chickamauga National Military Park dedicated to Colonel Hans Christian Heg.