Born June 6, 1841, Nord Aurdal, Valdres (Oppland), Kingdom of Norway
Parents
were Jul Knutson and Marit Hovrud
Immigrated with his parents to America, 1849
Died January 2, 1864,
Town of Chattanooga, State of
Tennessee
Buried Section D, Grave 669 or 12574, National Cemetery, Chattanooga,
Tennessee
Even Julsen was enlisted under the name Edwin Julson for a 3 year term of service in Company E of the 15th Wisconsin by Captain John Ingmundson on November 8, 1861, in Dane County, State of Wisconsin. Edwin's older brother Jul Julson enlisted as James Julson in the same company on the same day. The men of Company E called themselves "Odin's Rifles." Edwin was mustered into Federal service at the rank of Private on December 8, 1861, at Camp Randall, near the City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. At the time he was listed as being 21 years old and not married. He was recorded as being a Farmer with blue eyes, light colored hair and complexion, standing 5 feet and 10 inches tall, and residing in the Town of Perry, Dane County, Wisconsin.
Private Julson was appointed as the 5th Corporal of Company E on January 1, 1862. On January 14, 1862, the men of Company E were issued Belgian rifle muskets. On March 2, 1862, after several months at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Corporal Julson left there with his company and regiment to join the war. From then until November, 1863, he was recorded as "present" with the 15th. As such he would have been at the siege of Island No. 10, on the Mississippi River in the State of Tennessee, and the raid on Union City, Tennessee, in March and April, 1862. That summer he would have been on campaign with the 15th though Tennessee and the States of Mississippi and Alabama. In August and September, 1862, he would have been on the grueling 400 mile retreat with General Buell up to the City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, with the last 2 weeks being conducted on half rations and little water. Starting in September, 1862, he was listed as a Private.
Edwin would have been present at the October 8, 1862, Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, which is also called the Battle of Chaplin Hills. And at the end of December he would have participated in the capture of a Confederate artillery cannon at Bald Knob, Tennessee, near the City of Nashville, and in the long, cold, wet, and bloody Battle of Stone River, Tennessee, also called the Battle of Murfreesboro. The 15th was cited for bravery at Stone River, where it suffered its first significant battle casualties.
The 15th camped in the Murfreesboro area for the next 6 months, except for 2 weeks in February when it was sent to the Town of Franklin, Tennessee. Starting June 23, 1863, the regiment took part in General Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign. On July 3, 1863, it camped at Winchester, Tennessee. On August 17, 1863, the 15th left there to participate in General Rosecran's Chickamauga campaign. ?? is believed to have been present at the daring early morning crossing of the Tennessee River on August 28th, which the 15th led. He was also present at the September 19-20, 1863, Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia -- the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. He survived the vicious fighting around Viniard's Farm on the first afternoon, as well as the near capture of the regiment around midday on the 20th during Longstreet's Breakthrough. Some 63% of the 15th's soldiers who were at Chickamauga were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. For a short time after the battle Private Julson was officially listed as "missing."
Private Julson served with the regiment during the Confederate siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which began right after the battle. The siege resulted in severe shortages of medicine, food, and firewood which, together with cold, wet weather, caused much suffering, sickness, and death. The Confederate siege was finally broken by the Union Army's victorious charge up Mission Ridge on November 25, 1863, which the 15th took part in. Starting November 28, 1863, Private Julson was listed as "absent sick" in the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He died there in Division No. 5 Hospital just over a month later of "chronic diarrhoea." At the time of his death he had in his possession "1 knapsack, 1 haversack and 1 canteen, considerably worn."
Sources: Genealogical information provided by Marty Gale; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillage [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers] by Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1895); Civil War Compiled Military Service Records by Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); and, Regimental Descriptive Rolls, Volume 20 Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1885).
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