Civil War Database

This extensive database contains information on the lives and service of Civil War soldiers who were born in Norway.

The data was compiled from research conducted between 1997 and 2003 by Jerry Rosholt, a journalist and later producer for NBC Nightly News. In addition to the database, Rosholt served as guest historian a major exhibition on Norwegians in the Civil War at Vesterheim and authored a companion volume. Ole Goes to War: Men from Norway Who Fought in America’s Civil War, by Jerry Rosholt, is available through Vesterheim’s Museum Store.

Database Sources – a list of sources of the information and explanation of abbreviations listed at the end of the entries.

Abbreviations & Database Clues – includes more information about how to use this database.

Soldiers’ Names – includes more information about rural Norwegian naming customs and the name changes that often occurred after emigration to the United States.

Send additions or edits to the database to info@vesterheim.org.

 

Acknowledgments

Vesterheim’s Norwegians in the Civil War project was made possible through the generous support of Hamlet and Suzanne Peterson, Rochester, Minn., and a grant from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The companion volume Ole Goes to War: Men from Norway Who Fought in America’s Civil War, by Jerry Rosholt, was made possible through a gift from the Government of Norway in honor of Vesterheim’s 125th Anniversary.

We are grateful to The Edwin E. and Janet L. Bryant Foundation of Stoughton, Wisc., for their generous grant in support of the online database.

Additional support for sharing the research of Jerry Rosholt comes from Darlene Rosholt, Gerald R. Sime, Donald and Faye Aamodt, Robert Rosholt, Robert Sande, Dirk Rosholt, Greg Rosholt, and Sons of Norway Nordic 1-502.

Filters
Search
Last Name
State
Company

HILDAHL, Magnus

WI 47th Inf Co D. Residence: Scandinavia, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Enlistment credited to Harmony, Rock County. Born in Norway. Civil War: A Sailor. Age 29.…

HERMANSON, Herman

IA 13th Inf Co A. Residence: Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born 6 Jan 1849 in Norway. Civil War: Age 18. Enlisted 21 Oct 1864. Mustered 21…

HERMANSON, John

IA 46th Inf Co F. Residence: Decorah, Winneshiek County Iowa. Born 29 Jan 1846 at Vik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway, son of Hermund Ivarsen Teigane…

HEYERDAHL, Christopher

WI 38th Inf Co I. Residence: Diamond Bluff, Pierce County, Wisconsin. Born in Kristiania, Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 42. Hazel eyes, light hair, light…

HEXOM, Ole

IA 38th Inf Co K. Civil War: Enlisted 4 Oct 1862. Private. Discharged 15 Aug 1865. Post war: Lived in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Sources:…

HIGHLAND, Ole

IL Lt Arty Henshaw’s Battery. Residence: La Salle County, Illinois. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 18. Blue eyes, light hair, light complexion, 5’2½”.…

HIGHUM, Mons

Civil War: Post war: Buried in cemetery at Cyrus, Minnesota. Sources: (E-mail, Jim Belgum belgums@runestone.net)

HEWELL, Hans

See HOWELL, Hans
Tags:
H

HIGHBE, Hans

Civil War: Private. Post war: Died in Cottonwood County, Minnesota (before 1907) Sources: (Ulvestad p291)

HETLETVEDT, James

See WEBSTER, James
Tags:
H

HEROM, Ole Olsen

From Toten, Norway. Civil War: Private. Sources: (Ulvestad p291)
Tags:
H

HILDEN, J. Peter

MN Hv Arty 1st Reg Co I. Residence not shown. Born in Norway. Civil War: Age 27. Enrolled 2 Feb 1865. Mustered 9 Feb 1865.…

HERVOLD, Peter

Residence: Monroe County, Wisconsin. From Stange, Hedemarken, Norway. Spanish-American War: Private. Sources: (Ulvestad p291)

HERMANSON, Soren

WI 42nd Inf Co A. Residence: Scandinavia, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 30. Married. Blue eyes, light hair, light complexion,…

HIGGINS, Charles

IL 19th Inf Co K. Residence: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Born in Sweden. Civil War: Age 19. Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on 4 Jun…

HERMANSON, John

IA 27th Inf Co B. Residence: Dorchester, Iowa. Born in Norway. Civil War: Age 21. Enlisted 12 Aug 1862. Mustered 1 Sep 1862. Private. Mustered…

HENNIG (?), Christian

IL 132nd Inf Co I. Residence: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Born in Norway. Civil War: Painter. Age 34. Married. Blue eyes, dark hair, dark complexion,…