Monday, April 19, 2010



Capt Henry Nikolai Hauff.

Birth: Oct. 10, 1836.
Death: Sep. 19, 1863.

Report of Colonel John A. Martin, Eighth Kansas Infantry, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FIRST DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS,
Chattanooga, September 28, 1863,


CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the following account of the action of this brigade from the time of crossing the Tennessee River up to the present date, including its participation in the engagements on the 19th and 20th instant. As I did not assume command of the brigade until the 19th instant, when the brave and gallant Colonel Heg was mortally wounded, and as Captain Henry Hauff, acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, was taken prisoner, and none of the official records of headquarters are in my possession, the report of our movements prior to the 19th may contain inaccuracies of memory, which the general commanding will readily correct.
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Report of Captain Mons Grinager, Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry. FIFTEENTH REGIMENT WISCONSIN VOLS.

Chattanooga, Ten., September 29, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor herewith to transmit the following report of the part taken by the Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers in the battle of Chickamauga Creek, Ga., on the 19th and 20th instant:

About 1 p.m. on the 19th we were ordered into line of battle on the south side of the Chattanooga road, 3 miles east of Crawfish Spring, our left resting on the Eighth Kansas Volunteers. We marched by the right flank through some heavy underbrush till our right rested on a corn-field about three-quarters of a mile from the road. We then advanced in line of battle over a slight elevation of ground, and on ascending the top the enemy's skirmishers opened fire on us, but with little effect. We drove them in. After advancing a short distance farther, we received a heavy volley from the enemy's line immediately in our front. The engagement now became general. We held our position for some minutes, and had fired about 6 or 7 rounds, when we were ordered back 10 or 15 paces, on account of being exposed to a heavy cross-fire from infantry on our right and a rebel battery on our left.

This position we held for some time, and had fired about 10 or 12 rounds, when we were ordered to fix bayonets and charge the line immediately in our front. The order was complied with; but our right being so hard pressed, they could make but little headway, having no support to the right, and the Eighth Kansas to the left had partly broken and were a short distance in our rear, being thus exposed to a raking cross-fire. We then received orders to fall back, which was done slowly and in good order, holding the enemy in check until we were relieved by the Second Brigade, General Carlin's, which advanced and engaged the enemy.

We reformed in rear of the Second Brigade, which soon was forced back behind us, and we again fired some rounds, but were met with such overwhelming force that we were forced to fall back across an open field immediately in our rear. On our arrival at the edge of the timber, on the north side of the field, the Third Brigade of Sheridan's division advanced on our right and engaged the enemy. We twice tried to recross the field, and succeeded the second time in getting as far as to the log-house on the south side of the field, where we retook a few pieces of artillery, and which position we held until fresh troops arrived. We then were ordered about three-quarters of a mile to the rear, where we reformed with the division, and bivouacked until 3 o'clock the next morning.

Our loss the 19th in killed, wounded, and missing was: Commissioned officers, 7; enlisted men, 59.

Among our killed was Captain John M. Johnson, Company A. Among our wounded, Colonel Jans C. Heg, commanding brigade, since dead. Captain Hans Hansen, Company C, severely wounded and left on the field; Major George Wilson and Captain A. Gasman, severely; Lieutenant C. E. Tanberg, Company D, slightly wounded, and Captain Henry Hauff missing.
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It was later found that Captain Henry Hauff was neither missing or taken prisoner, but was in fact killed on the battle field. The proof came when a Confederate solider by the name of John West, of the 4th Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company E. recovered Captain Hauff's "beautifully mounted and engraved sword." John West would later described Captain Henry Hauff as "a gallant Wisconsin officer," and "He was a clever soldier and would have gone far if he had lived." It’s believed that Captain Henry Hauff body was to have been buried on the Chickamauga battlefield in an unmarked grave.

2 comments:

C. said...

Hi Dennis
I am studying people from my home town (Sandefjord, Norway) that participated in the Civil War. And it turns out that I am living next door to the church(Sandar Kirke) where Henry Nicolay Hauff was babtised July 9th 1836 (link to scanned copy of the churh records: http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051018050899.jpg) In the church it is recorded that he was born in 1837 and not OCT 10th 1836. I have seen this date in several records and I beleive it origins from a book named "Oberst Heg og hans Gutter" by W.Ager, published in 1916 In that book it seems that they also publish a part of the same photo you have on your site - do you know the origin of that photo?
Regards C. Skottun

Dennis Segelquist said...

I found that picture at the site called ( Find a Grave )enter Henry Hauff only or you will not find him. Under the picture you will see Bev. push on it, it will take you to hers or his info, and you can write them to find where the photo came from. If you are not a member you well need to sign up, its free and only takes a montment.