Waukesha Times

Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued a statement following the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' approval of his bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Muskego, Wisconsin, in honor of Colonel Hans Christian Heg.

The bill, H.R. 7199, designates the United States Postal Service facility located at S74W16860 Janesville Road as the “Colonel Hans Christian Heg Post Office.” Colonel Hans Christian Heg was a prominent abolitionist and the highest-ranking Union casualty from Wisconsin during the Civil War.

“I commend my Senate colleagues on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, including Senator Ron Johnson, for passing my bill today that honors a Wisconsin hero and American patriot, Colonel Hans Christian Heg. Colonel Heg served honorably as both a Colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War and as a staunch abolitionist,” said Rep. Fitzgerald (WI-05). “This bill ensures that Colonel Heg’s legacy remains an enduring one in Wisconsin for generations to come. I look forward to seeing this bill swiftly passed on the Senate floor and signed into law.”

In 1840, Colonel Hans Christian Heg immigrated to Wisconsin from Norway at ten years old, with his family settling in Muskego. He was eventually appointed Colonel of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry, leading his men to win control of Island No. 10 on the Mississippi River during the Civil War. They were honored by Flag Officer Andrew Foote with raising the flag.

On September 20, 1863, at Chickamauga in Georgia, then-33-year-old Colonel Heg was killed in action while serving the Union. Afterward, veterans raised funds to erect a cannonball pyramid at Chickamauga National Military Park dedicated to him.