Born circa 1839, Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Kingdom of Norway
Immigrated
to America 1849
Jul Julsen was enlisted under the name James 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. His younger brother enlisted as Edwin Julson in the same company on the same day. The men of Company E called themselves Odin's Rifles. James was mustered into Federal service on January 6, 1862, at Camp Randall, near the City of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. At the time he was 23 years old and married. His residence was listed as the Town of Perry, Dane County, Wisconsin.
After several months at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Private Julson left there in early March, 1862, with his company and regiment to join the war. From then until September, 1862, he was recorded as "present" with the 15th. As such he would have been at the successful siege of Island No. 10 in the Mississippi River in the State of Tennessee, and the surprise raid on Union City, Tennessee, in March and April, 1862. That Summer he would have been on the campaign though Tennessee and the States of Mississippi and Alabama. In August and September James 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 on half rations and short of water. Starting September 17, 1862, he was left sick at the Town of Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Private Julson was listed as absent until sometime in March or April, 1863. As such he was not present with the 15th at the October 8, 1862, Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, or at the late December, 1862, fighting at Knob Gap, Tennessee, or at the long, cold, wet and bloody Batlle of Stone River, Tennessee, near Murfreesboro. Private Julson rejoined the 15th in its camp near Murfreesboro and was then present with the regiment until October, 1863.
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. Private Julson would have taken part in the daring early morning crossing of the Tennessee River on August 28th, which the 15th led. He would also have been present at the September 19-20, 1863, Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia -- the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. There 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.
Private Julson would have then served with the regiment during the Confederate siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which began right after the battle. The siege resulted in severe shortages of food and firewood which, together with cold, wet weather, caused much suffering, sickness, and death. Beginning October 11, 1863, Private Julson was listed as "absent sick" in the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee. On November 11, 1863, he was moved to a hospital in the City of Nashville, Tennessee. From there he was transferred December 9, 1863, to a hospital in the Town of Evansville, State of Indiana.
On January 2, 1864, Private Julson's brother, Corporal Edwin Julson, died of "chronic diarrhoea" at an Army hospital in Chattanooga.
On April 23, 1864, Private Julson was "furnished transportation from Chicago, Ill. to Madison, Wis." valued at $2.70. After recovering his health, he returned to the 15th sometime in July or August, 1864, and took part in the last half of General Sherman's campaign to capture the City of Atlanta, Georgia. In early October, 1864, he served with the regiment on Provost (police) duty in Chattanooga, followed by duty guarding a railroad bridge at the Town of Whitesides, Tennessee, near Chattanooga. On December 20, 1864, Private Julson was mustered out of Federal service at Chattanooga along with most of the other surviving members of Company E upon the expiration of his 3 year term of service.
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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2000.