WI 15th Inf Co H. Residence: Bad Ax, Vernon County, Wisconsin. Born “Ole Tostensen Gullord” on 2 May 1840 in Biri, Oppland, Norway, the eldest son of Tosten Olsen Strandbakken (farm: Gullord) and Berthe Evensdatter Glatestad. He came to America with his parents and siblings on “Flora”, which sailed from Christiania on 15 Jun 1849 and arrived in New York on 23 Aug 1849. They came to Crawford County, Wisconsin. They moved to Coon Prairie, Christiania Township, Vernon County, in 1849. Civil War: Age 22. Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on 29 Dec 1861 at La Crosse, Wisconsin, and mustered at Madison, Wisconsin, 13 Feb 1862. Private. Sick in hospital at Montery, Mississippi, 20 Jul 1862. He was one of two unarmed orderlies who were with Colonel Heg when he captured two armed Rebel sentries by surprising them. Wounded in an arm at Lovejoy Station, Georgia, 4 Sep 1864. Mustered out with Company H at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on 13 Feb 1865. Post wear: Westby married Sarah Andreasdastter Dahl on 16 Nov 1865. They had eleven children. In 1894, he was a merchant in Westby, Vernon County, operating a general store. A musician. He died in Westby on 16 Feb 1890 and is buried in the Coon Prairie graveyard. Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 76-10; red book vol 20 p120) (Buslett p579 photo) (Ulvestad p340) (Ager p280 photo; p311) (Oudenstad p123) (Naeseth-Hedberg ’49-2924) “Westby, Ole Tostensen”
