WI 26th Inf Co I. Residence: Port Washington, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Born “Ommund Olsen Bjelland” on 9 Aug 1843 in Herefoss, Aust Agder, Norway, son of Ole Nielsen Bjelland. Came to America at age three, with his parents and two siblings. They arrived on the ship “Isette” at New Orleans on 11 Jan 1847 from Havre, France. Passengers had left Grimstad, Norway on 17 Sep 1846 on the ship “Louise Caroline”, bound for Ramsgate, England, and Havre. Civil War: Age 18½. Farmer. Unmarried. Blue eyes, sandy hair, healthy complexion, 5’6”. Enlisted for three years on 20 Aug 1862 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and mustered there on 17 Sep 1862. Private. Was in the fighting at Chancellorsville, Virginia, 2 May 1863. Taken prisoner on 1 Jul 1863. Rejoined the regiment on 18 Nov 1863. Took part in the Knoxville, Tennessee, campaign; the Atlanta, Georgia, campaign. Was wounded 15 May 1864 in the battle at Resaca, Georgia. Wounded again on 27 Jul 1864 in the battle of Peach Tree Creek. Sent to post hospital in Milwaukee. Post war: In Oct 1867, he moved to Lake Andrew Township, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Became a farmer. Married 19 Dec 1872 to Karen Larsdatter Slattum. Five children. In December 1881, while living in Norway Lake, Kandiyohi County, he was granted a pension of $6 a month because of a shell-caused contusion of his spine and for chronic diarrhea. Later moved to Silverton, Oregon. Died there on 31 Dec 1926 and was buried in St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery in Silverton. Sources: (WHS red book vol 31) (Quiner p 757) (Naeseth ’47-500) (Pensioners on the Roll as of January 1, 1883, living in Minnesota, publ. 1994, Park Genealogical Books, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota) “Olson, Edmund”
