Norwegians capture of Fort Donelson

Submitted by Webmaster Ann on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 14:42.

Norwegians capture of Fort Donelson

Following the capture of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, 16 February 1862, some 30 Norwegians are reported to have been among the Confederate prisoners at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois.

Surgeon Stephen O. Himoe, 15th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, writes from Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin, 25 February 1862: "..Major Riis [Major Carl M. Riise, 15th Wisconsin] was also on the train during the return trip from Chicago, where he had seen the Norwegian prisoners. There are about 30 of them...."
[Waldemar Ager, Oberst Heg og hans gutter, p. 250-51]

Captured identified soldiers that was prisoners in the camp during the war :

Private GRANN, Helge J - 7th TEXAS Infantry Regiment
( CAP: 16th Feb`62, Fort Donalson, TN - EXCH: 20th Apr `62, Vicksburg, MS

Private / 5th Sergeant KNUDSON, Ole - 17th TENNESSEE Infantry Regiment
CAP: 19th Sep `63, Chickamauga - EXCH: Paroled on Oath 28th Jun 65, Point Lookout, MD

Private STRAND, O.A - 7th TEXAS Infantry Regiment
CAP:16th Feb`62, Fort Donalson,TN - EXCH: 20th Apr `62, Vicksburg, MS

Private SHEFTER, Antone - 18th TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 11th Jan Arkansas Post,`63 - EXCH: 10th Apr `63, City Point, VA

ALTON MILITARY PRISON - IL
Private OLSEN, Knude - 10th TENNESSEE Infantry Regiment
CAP : 28th Dec `64, Egypt's Station, MS - EXCH: Paroled on Oath 17 Jan `65, Alton Military Prison, IL

CAMP MORTON - IN
Private REIERSON, Otto Th. - 3rd TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 14th Jun `64, Lost Mountain, GA - EXCH: June `65 (?)

ELIMIRA MILITARY PRISON - NY
Private GUNDERSON, Edward - Co I (Irish Brigade, Co A), 6th LOUISIANA Infantry Regiment
CAP: 5th May 1864, Mine Run, VA - EXCH: Oath taken the 19th June `65, Elimira, NY

FORT DICK ROBINSON - KY
Private OLSEN, Gabriel - 24th ALABAMA Infantry Regiment
CAP : On the retreat from the Kentucky Campaign 9th Oct `62 - EXCH: 18th Oct `62

FORT COLUMBUS - NY
Private BROWN, Peter William - 5th LOUISIANA Infantry Regiment
CAP : 24th May `62, Bottom's Bridge, VA - EXCH: 5th Aug `62 , Aiken's Landing, VA

KEMPER BARRACKS - OH
Captain OHLSON, Charles M - 4th ARKANSAS Infantry Regiment
CAP : Unknown, prob.in July `63 - EXCH: 6th Oct `63, Kemper Barracks, Cincinnatti, OH

SHIP`S ISLAND - MS
Landsman / 2nd Master - BROWN, Charles - CSS Tennessee
CAP: 5th Aug `64, Battle of Mobile Bay, AL - EXCH: ?

Seaman / L.C. - CLARK, Charles - CSS Tennessee
CAP: 5th Aug `64, Battle of Mobile Bay, AL - EXCH: ?

ST. LOUIS - MO (either Gratiot Street Military Prison or Myrtle Street Prison )
Private REIERSON, Charles N - 31st Texas Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 12th Oct `62 near Bentonville, AR EXCH: 23rd Apr `63, Allen's Point, VA

Brigadier-General HANSON Weightman , Roger - Kentucky Orphan Brigade
CAP: 16th Feb `62 Fort Donalson, TN - EXCH: ?

Private AANONSON, Simon A - 2nd TEXAS Infantry Regiment
CAP: 4th Jul `63, Vicksburg, MS - EXCH: Paroled 7th Jul `63

Private / 1st Sergeant ANDERSON, Ole A - 1st TEXAS Heavy Artillery Regiment/ Mason's Battery, Nichols' Battery
CAP: sometime in `63, place unknown - EXCH: was released after the end of the war in `65

Private FOSS, Oley J. - 3rd TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 15th Oct `63, Brownsville, MS - EXCH: Not exchanged during the rest of the war

Captain GRAGARD, John J. - 3rd TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 23rd Jul `64, Rolling Fork, MS - EXCH: 29th Jul `64 , near Vicksburg, MS

Private GREGARD, Thomas F. - 28th TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP:20 Jul `62, Gaines' Landing, AR - EXCH: in Nov`62, near Vicksburg, MS

Private KNUDSON, Knud S - 2nd TEXAS Infantry Regiment
CAP: 4th Jul `63, Vicksburg, MS - EXCH: Paroled 4th Jul `63

Private OLSON, C. F.- 37th ALABAMA Infantry Regiment
CAP: 9th Oct `62, Corinth, MS - EXCH: 8th Nov `62, Vicksburg, MS

Private OLSON, P. B.- 37th ALABAMA Infantry Regiment
CAP: 9th Oct `62, Corinth, MS - EXCH: 8th Nov `62, Vicksburg, MS

Private SPAUNBURGH, Peter N - 1st TEXAS Artillery Regiment/ GOOD's - DOUGLAS' TEXAS Battery
CAP: Left sick (wounded?) at Barboursville, Kentucky, 29th Aug `62. Died there 3rd Sep `62

Private STRAND, O.A - 7th TEXAS Infantry Regiment
CAP:13th Jul `63,Yazoo City - EXCH: Paroled taken Oath 17th Aug `63, Cairo, IL

Private THURSTON, Ole - 9th LOUISIANA Infantry Regiment
CAP : prob.Winchester, VA, May/Jun `62 - EXCH: sometime Jun `62,Winchester, VA

Private POULSON, George H, 15th TEXAS Infantry Regiment
CAP: 18th May `64,Yellow Bayou, LA - EXCH: 22nd Jul` 64, Red River Landing, LA

Private / 1st Sergeant ANDERSON, Ole A - 1st TEXAS Heavy Artillery Regiment/ Mason's Battery, Nichols' Battery
CAP: sometime in `63, place unknown - EXCH: was released after the end of the war in `65

Private FOSS, Oley J. - 3rd TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 15 Oct `63, Brownsville, MS - EXCH: Not exchanged during the rest of the war

Private GUNDERSON, Edward - Co I (Irish Brigade, Co A), 6th LOUISIANA Infantry Regiment
CAP: 5th May 1864, Mine Run, VA - EXCH: Oath taken the 19th June `65, Elimira, NY

Private / 5th Sergeant KNUDSON, Ole - 17th TENNESSEE Infantry Regiment
CAP: 19th Sep `63, Chickamauga - EXCH: Paroled on Oath 28th Jun 65, Point Lookout, MD

Private OLSEN, Knude - 10th TENNESSEE Infantry Regiment
CAP : 28th Dec `64, Egypt's Station, MS - EXCH: Paroled on Oath 17 Jan `65, Alton Military Prison, IL

Private REIERSON, Otto Th. - 3rd TEXAS Cavalry Regiment
CAP: 14th Jun `64, Lost Mountain, GA - EXCH: June `65 (?)

Private SPAUNBURGH, Peter N - 1st TEXAS Artillery Regiment/ GOOD's - DOUGLAS' TEXAS Battery
CAP: Left sick (wounded?) at Barboursville, Kentucky, 29th Aug `62. Died there 3rd Sep `62.

Federal prisoner John McElroy, a private of Co. L, 16th Illinois Cavalry, described his arrival at Savannah, Georgia, after a stay in Andersonville: "..Our guards were now mostly sailors from the rebel fleet in the harbor - Irishmen, Englishmen and Scandinavians..."

[John McElroy, "This Was Andersonville", p. 183]

NOTE: As far as we know, 110 Norwegian Federal soldiers was at Andersonville and 79 of these died there. Most of them was from 15th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and been captured during Chichamuga and New Hope Church battles.

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