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Arnoldus Schlambusch (Schlanbusch)1st Sergeant of Company A |
Photo RG985-CWP-161.76
Wm. Schultz
College, U.S. Army Military History Institute
Image above has been electronically
enhanced by Deep Vee Productions
Born March 11, 1836,
Vossevangen, Kingdom of Norway
Parents were Fredrik Schlanbush (1___-18__) and Larsina
Gjetlesdatter Bøe (1___-18__)
Immigrated to America, 1860
Married _____________,
1866, to Nikoline Synestvedt (18__-1___) at __________________________
Died Spring 1906, Town of Sheridan, State of
Illinois
Buried at __________________________________________
Arnoldus Schlambusch trained as a sailor and navigator in Norway. He was enlisted by Captain Andrew Torkildson for a 3 year term of service in Company A of the 15th Wisconsin. He joined up on October 26, 1861, at the City of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The men of Company A called themselves the "St. Olaf's Rifles." They were also known as the "Sailor Company" because of the large number of seamen in its ranks, and as the "Chicago Company" because so many of its members were residents of that city. Arnoldus was mustered into Federal service as a Sergeant (Sersjant) on November 15, 1861, at Camp Randall near the City of Madison, Dane County, State of Wisconsin. At that time he was 25 years old and not married. His residence was listed as Chicago. At muster in the Army noted that he had blue eyes, sandy colored hair, a light complexion, stood 5 feet 6 inches tall, and was by occupation a Sailor.
On January 14, 1862, the men of the 15th were issued Belgian rifled muskets. After nearly 15 weeks spent training to be a soldier, Sergeant Schlambusch departed Wisconsin in early March with his company and regiment. That spring he was present at the Siege of Island No. 10, on the Mississippi River in the State of Tennessee, and the surprise raid on Union City, Tennessee, in March and April, 1862. That summer he was present during the regiment's campaign through Tennessee and the states of Mississippi, and Alabama, and was appointed 1st Sergeant (Oversersjant) of Company A.
In August and September 1st Sergeant Schlambusch would have participated in the grueling 400 mile retreat with General Buell up to the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, with the last 2 weeks being on half rations and short of water. It was during this period that the company's second-in-command, 1st Lieutenant Emanuel Engelstad resigned his commission and left the Army. 1st Sergeant Schlambusch was present at the October 8, 1862, fighting at the Town of Perryville, Boyle County, Kentucky, which was also called the Battle of Chaplin Hills. While this was the 15th's first big battle, it emerged without any fatalities.
Shortly after the battle Captain Torkildson resigned his commission and left. For a short period Company A was commanded by its sole remaining officer, 2nd Lieutenant Oliver Thompson. The company then got a new commander, Captain John M. Johnson who was promoted and transferred over from Company E.
On December 26, 1862, 1st Sergeant Schlambusch participated in the 15th's desperate charge upon a Confederate artillery battery at Knob Gap, Tennessee, just south of the City of Nashville. There the 15th captured a brass cannon. He then fought at the long, cold, wet, and bloody Battle of Stone River, Tennessee, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro, on December 30-31, 1862. It is there that the 15th first suffered serious battle casualties, and was cited for bravery. On the second day of the battle 1st Sergeant Schlambusch was taken prisoner. The following is from Buslett's 1895 history of the 15th Wisconsin.
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"After the battle General Rosecrans issued an order to the various regiments' commanders to submit to headquarters a list of one sergeant, two corporals and four or five privates in each company (altogether no more than six from each company), who had shown the greatest courage and ability during the battle. These would be entered on the Roll of Honor." |
The 15th's commander, Colonel Hans C. Heg, submitted 1st Sergeant Schlambusch's name in response to this order and he was subsequently entered on the Roll of Honor for the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Army Corps for his actions in the battle.
After being held as a Prisoner of War for 2 months, 1st Sergeant Schlambusch was paroled by the Confederates in March 1863. He was then sent to Union Army camp near the City of St. Louis in the State of Missouri. He remained there until May, 1863, before being formally exchanged and allowed to rejoin the 15th, which was camped at Murfreesboro.
Starting June 23, 1863, the 15th took part in General Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign. On July 3, 1863, the regiment went into camp for 6 weeks at the Town of Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee. On August 17, 1863, the 15th left there to participate in General Rosecran's Chickamauga campaign. 1st Sergeant Schlambusch is believed to have been present at the daring early morning crossing of the Tennessee River on August 28th, which the 15th led.
1st Sergeant Schlambusch was present with Company A at the September 19-20, 1863, fighting at Chickamauga, Georgia -- the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. He survived the vicious fighting around Viniard's Farm on the first afternoon where Captain Johnson was killed. He also survived the near capture of the regiment around midday on the 20th near Brotherton Field during Longstreet's Breakthrough. It was there that Lieutenant Thompson was killed. His death left 1st Sergeant Schlambusch in command of the company, which consisted of only some 20 enlisted men who had survived the battle unhurt. Overall, some 63% of the 15th's soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.
1st Sergeant Schlambusch then served with the regiment during the Confederate siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which began right after the battle. The siege caused severe shortages of medicine, food, and firewood. It was not until the Union Army's victorious charge up Mission Ridge on November 25, 1863, which the 15th took part in, that the siege was finally broken. However, starting November 21, 1863, 1st Sergeant Schlambusch was detached from the regiment and sent to Wisconsin to recruit new volunteers to fill up the shattered ranks of Company A.
In March 1864, 1st Sergeant Schlambusch rejoined the 15th, which was then preparing to participate in General William T. Sherman's campaign to capture the City of Atlanta in the State of Georgia. However, on May 6, 1864, 1st Sergeant Schlambusch was mustered out of the Army at the Town of Ringgold, Georgia, and transferred into the U.S. Navy. He was replaced as 1st Sergeant by Henry Siegel.
Sources: A History of the Norwegians of Illinois by A.E. Strand (1905); Historied Om Udvandringen Fra Voss og Vossingerne i Amerika by Knut A. Rene (Madison, Wisconsin, 1930); Oberst Heg og Hans Gutter [Colonel Heg and His Boys] by Waldemar Ager (Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 1916); Civil War Compiled Military Service Records by Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); Regimental Descriptive Rolls, Volume 20 by the Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1885); and, Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Volume 1 by the Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1886).
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