IL 53rd Inf Co A. Residence: Lisbon, Kendall County, Illinois. Born “Osten Osmonson” in 1841 in the Etne, Hordaland area of Norway. Came to America in 1849 with his parents, Osmon Osmonsen and Isabelle Stangeland, plus four siblings. They settled in Kendall County, Illinois. Civil War: Age 20. Blue eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, 6’. Enlisted for three years on 17 Dec 1861 at Ottawa, Illinois. Mustered 1 Jan 1862 at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois. Private. Regiment was designated to be Cavalry and was sent to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, for cavalry training. On 25 Dec 1862, the Regiment was renamed Company L and became a part of the IL 15th Cavalry Regiment. Severely injured in a skirmish at Tuscumbia, Alabama on 22 Feb 1863. His horse was shot in a front leg and fell. Private Osmon’s foot was caught in a stirrup, and the horse fell on top of him. The horse tried several times to stand and fell each time on Osmon, landing across his abdomen and chest. Osmon never fully recovered from his injuries and he was discharged 9 Jan 1865. Post war: He was married in 1866 to Helen Hill. Eight children. He was found to have suffered a severe abdominal hernia and in 1892 he was forced to give up farming. He and his family moved into Morris, Illinois. He died 3 Jul 1903 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Morris Sources: (email, Stephen Osman, Fort Snelling Minnesota Historical Society) (Ulvestad p320) “Osmund, Austen” “Osmon, Osten”
