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.

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WILLIAMS, Augustus

US Navy. Born 1842 in Kristiansand, Norway. Civil War: Enlisted from Massachusetts. Seaman. Awarded the Medal of Honor. On board the “U.S.S. Santiago de Cuba”…

WILLIAMS, Andrew

IL 5th Cav Co H. Residence: (Unreadable), Moultrie County, Illinois. Born in Norway. Civil War: Baker. Age 29. Unmarried. Blue eyes, light hair, fair complexion,…

WILSON, George

WI 27th Inf Co H. Residence: Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 34. Black eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, 5’8”.…

WILSON, George

TX 2nd Inf Co D. CSA. Born 5 Dec 1837 in Norway. Civil War: Enlisted for one year early in the war. Private. Served mostly…

WILSON, Charles

WI 27th Inf Co H. Residence: Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Born in Westlandet, Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 38. Blue eyes, dark hair, dark complexion,…

WILSON, Alonzo

IA 5th Cav Co K. Residence: St. Louis County, Minnesota. Born in Sweden. Civil War: Age 27. Enlisted on 1 Nov 1861. Mustered the same…

WILSEN, Andrew T.

IL 36th Inf Co D. Civil War: Buried at Helmar, Illinois; stone reads “d. 27 Jul 1866, aged 40 y, 3 m” Sources: (Wisconsin Cemetery…

WILMS, Peter

WI 22nd Inf Co A. Residence: Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin. Born in Denmark. Civil War: Age 22. Farmer. Unmarried. Light eyes, light hair, light complexion,…

WILMS, Boye August

WI 21st Inf Co G. Residence: Waupaca, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Born in Denmark. Civil War: Age 27. Barber. Married. Blue eyes, brown hair, light complexion,…

WILLIAMSON, William

IA 8th Inf Co H. Residence: Iowa. Born in Norway. Civil War: Age 18. Enlisted 2 Dec 1864. Mustered 2 Dec 1864. Private. Mustered out…

WILLIAMSON, Marcus

IL 95th Inf Co C. Residence: Chemung, McHenry County, Illinois. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 19. Brown eyes, dark hair, fair complexion, 5’11”.…

WILLIAMSON, Mads

WI 15th Inf Co F. Residence: Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Born in Valders, Norway. Civil War: Age 18. Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on 5 Nov…

WILLIAMSON, John

WI 28th Inf Co K. Residence: Primrose, Dane County, Wisconsin. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Unmarried. Age 43. Blue eyes, light hair, light complexion,…

WILLIAMSON, Buck

WI 3rd Inf Co I. Born in Norway. Civil War: Farmer. Age 34. Blue eyes, light hair, dark complexion, 5’9”. Drafted. Enrolled for one year…

WILLIAMSEN, Nils

Residence: Polk County, Wisconsin. From Rodoen, Norway. Spanish-American War: Private. Died of fever in Cuba during the war. Sources: (Ulvestad p340)

WILSON, Kerwin

DT 1st Cavalry Battalion Co A. Civil War: Sergeant. Promoted to Commissary Sergeant. Sources: (Index of Compiled Service Records, North Dakota Archives, roll 6099)

WILSON, John

CA 1st Inf Co G. Born 1837. Civil War: Private. Died 1911. Buried in Trenton Cemetery. Sources: (FCHS)

WILSON, Gilbert

WI 20th Inf Co H. Residence: Rosendale, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Civil War: Unmarried. Age 19. Enlisted for three years on 15 Aug 1862…

WILSON, George

WI 15th Inf Co B. Residence: Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. Born in Hamburg, Germany, 18 Dec 1836, of English parents. Grew up in Christiania (Oslo)…

WILSON, George

IL 20th Inf Co G. Residence not shown. Born in Denmark. Civil War: Age 24. Sailor. Hazel eyes, brown hair, dark complexion, 5’10”. Enlisted for…