WI 15th Inf Co K. Residence: Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born “Sever Pettersen Blekeberg” 13 Sep 1846 in Sigdal, Buskerud, Norway, son of Petter Gundersen Blekeberg and Turi Sjuldsdatter Fjøslien. He came to America from Roillag, Buskerud, with his parents and two siblings on “Embla”, which sailed from Christiania 9 May 1849 and arrived in New York on 6 Jul 1849. They came first to the Jefferson Prairie settlement, Wisconsin, where his father, Petter, soon died. The rest of the family came in 1851 to Madison Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Civil War: Age 16. Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on 25 Jan 1862 in Winneshiek County and mustered at Madison, Wisconsin, 11 Feb 1862. Private. Was on Military Police duty in October, 1862. Taken prisoner at Chickamauga, Georgia, on 20 Sep 1863. Died of scurvy (or diarrhea) in Andersonville Prison on 5 Sep 1864. Buried there in grave 7893. He was entered on the Roll of Honor for the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Army Corps. He also was named a Brevet (Honorary) Captain on 7 Jun 1867 with rank from 31 Dec 1862 for bravery displayed in the Battle of Stone’s River, Tennessee, 31 Dec 1862. The 15th Regiment was forced to fall back and during this maneuver the men were scattered. Rebel cavalry rode up and began taking prisoners. A Rebel cavalryman ordered Pederson to surrender, but he refused, having seen Union cavalry riding from nearby woods. Pederson killed the Rebel, thereby saving himself and several comrades. Pederson quickly organized the men nearby into a fighting unit again. Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 76-12; red book vol 20 p148) (Ulvestad p256) (DGA) (Ager p283, photo; p319) (Meeker) (Letter, Rosie Goettelman, Decorah, Iowa) ancestry.com) (“Prisoners who died at Andersonville Prison” Atwater List, publ 1865) (Naeseth-Hedberg ’49-1082) “Pederson, Syvert”
