Atlanta Campaign Memories

Private Soren Pederson of Company K
1920 manuscript of his Civil War experiences
about picket duty at Rocky Face Ridge, Georgia, May 11, 1864
the soldier killed was probably Hans Christenson of Co. F or Hans P. Lenvig of Co. E

--Corporal Michael Thompson of Company I
undated diary entry
about the Battle of Resaca, Georgia, May 14-15, 1864

"I must let you know that in this battle I was struck by an enemy bullet in the shoulder, but it did not do much damage. I am almost good as new, which surely I must thank the good God for."

--Private John Johnson of Company K
May 22, 1864, letter
about his wounding at Resaca, Georgia, on May 14, 1864
2 weeks before he was killed in action at Pickett's Mill, Georgia

Captain Andrew A. Brown of Company H
May 23, 1864, letter from Cassville, Georgia, to his Brother
about the Union Army's advance on Atlanta, Georgia

"Some of us lay on our stomachs and fired because then it wouldn't be easy for the Rebels to hit us, but soon we had nothing more to shoot with, and about 12 o'clock at night the Rebels attacked us -- until now they had kept behind their defenses -- so we decided to leg it. I tripped and dropped my rifle, and by the time I had found it again I was alone. I went in what I thought was the right direction and stopped for a moment by a tree to get my bearings, and then I was surrounded by boys in grey, and no prayer could help. I just had to go with them..."

--Private Sivert A. Lee of Company H
Buslett's 1895 Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillage
about his capture at Pickett's Mill, Georgia, on May 27, 1864

"We lay there for no earthly reason whatever and were murdered en masse. When it finally became dark and we had no more ammunition, we stood there and listened for the sound of the enemy advance. I said to Hans Gunderson who was next to me: Now the Rebels are coming. "Then I'll be dammed if I'll stay here any longer," said Hans and off he ran into the darkness. But as luck would have it, he landed right amongst the enemy. Hans was a fine fellow, but he had to knuckle under in Andersonville [prison]. A Rebel came directly up to where I stood and screamed, "Surrender." I took two or three long strides to the side and toppled over a cliff into some loose sand. I lay unconscious for some time, but when I regained consciousness, I found too  my surprise that all my limbs were intact, together with my gun and the whole works...Nearby where I had lain was a heap of sharp stones which looked like wedges and if I had fallen on these it would have been the end of me."

--Sergeant John O. Wrolstad of Company I
 Buslett's 1895 Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillage
about his near escape at Pickett's Mill, Georgia

"The bullet went through my left arm and shoulder. Twice before that my rifle had been hit twice by Rebel bullets. The first night after we were wounded several hundred of us lay in an open field. The night was cold and those who were strong enough started to light some fires. Then the Rebels started to shoot at us, and the atmosphere among us was depressed. Some of the men asked politely that the fires be put out, others used foul language. Finally all the fires were extinguished and everything was quiet again. In the morning we got to the hospital and then went by train to Chattanooga..."

--Private Iver O. Myhre of Company G
Buslett's 1895 Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillage
about the fighting at Pickett's Mill, Georgia, on May 27, 1864

"At New Hope Church [Pickett's Mill] I was terribly wounded in the leg...I pulled myself forward with the help of a fence rail until I managed to leave the battlefield. But then I was absolutely exhausted. I then managed to cut up my shirt and somehow bind my wound, but the next day there were maggots in it anyway...I was left lying in the field hospital for four days. There they were busy cutting off limbs, as if they were butchering animals...All the limbs that were cut off were then thrown out on a heap by the wall outside, and the horses carried off many loads of feet, hands, and congealed blood. The limbs immediately turned blue, green, and black from blow flies as thick as a cloud over the piles..."

--Karilisu Olson, believed to be Private Charles Olson of Company K
Buslett's 1895 Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillage

"Has rained off and on for many days. When day breaks we are hungry, frozen and wet, and when night comes it is the same thing. There is no way we can get into dry clothing, but must lie under the heavens wet and with poor clothing. It is a hard life. Sometimes we do not get anything to eat for several days and when we do finally, it is not enough to still the worst hunger."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
June 13, 1864, diary entry

"We are having a hard time of it. There is scarcely an hour in the day that bullets are not whizzing around our heads and it is almost the same at night...We are now getting full rations of meat, bread, coffee and sugar...We are 15 to 20 miles from Atlanta which we must take before we can rest."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
June 20, 1864, letter from near Marietta, Georgia

"We are maintaining ourselves in some holes which we have dug into the earth to protect ourselves against the Rebel sharpshooters. But it is so hot in these holes that it is almost impossible to bear it."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
June 28, 1864, diary entry

"There are many sick in our company. We are now 17 miles from Atlanta. It goes slowly driving the Rebels farther. They have thrown up one breastwork after the other and they also have many batteries of cannons."

--Sergeant John O. Wrolstad of Company I
July 2, 1864, letter from near Big Shanty, Georgia

"Today we were sent out on a reconnaissance along the Chattahoochee river...The Rebels opened a frightful fire, but when we did not answer them, they soon ceased. Then up stepped a Rebel and said. 'If you don't shoot at us, we won't shoot at you.' And we quickly answered 'yes' to that. Then some of them came down to the river with some papers in their hands and asked us if we would like to exchange. This we were also willing to do. But the river between us made this a difficult problem. One of them made a motion that one from each side should swim toward the middle of the river, but no one had any desire for such a swim. So he read some items from his paper and when he was through, he said he and many of the others were fed up with the war. It was not the common folks, but the higher authorities who kept this war going, he said."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
July 10, 1864, diary entry

"We march daily and build positions, and it is so warm I've never known it to be warmer. When we are marching there are hundreds who fall out and lie down beside the road. We are so near Atlanta we can see the city from some of the hills. They say it is still five miles to the city and along these five miles there are nothing but forts and entrenchments and hundreds of cannon and all that Hell itself can think of. It will be hard to take Atlanta. But as things stand now, nothing is impossible. We live in hope that we will soon occupy the city. We have driven the Rebels more than 100 miles, over mountains and streams, where they did not think the Northern army ever could come...Our regiment is quite small now. We do not have over 70 men who are able to carry a gun. It looks like they want to destroy the Scandinavian regiment. Our company has lost 23 men in dead, wounded and prisoners."

--Sergeant John O. Wrolstad of Company I
 July 15, 1864, letter by the Chatahoochee River

"I will have to admit that the women of the South are beautiful and appealing. Whole flocks of them go among the Rebel troops in spite of the heaviest firing when every minute they are in danger of their lives."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
August 12, 1864, diary entry

"We kept on with the marching all day. It was so hot that several of our people dropped dead."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
August 27, 1864, diary entry

"We have now taken position five miles south of Jonesboro, but our position is not the best as the enemy bullets are landing right in our tents. One soldier had received his discharge papers to go home when a bullet killed him on the spot."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
September 1-5, 1864, diary entry

"We marched through the city of Atlanta with a blaring of bugles, our flag flying high, and pitched tents on the east side of the city."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
September 7-12, 1864, diary entry

"Today Sgt. John O. Wrolstad and I made a tour along our old outposts for a look around at the city of Atlanta. It seemed terrible. The city is destroyed and all railroads are torn up. It is a big loss for the surrounding area. The land around here is hilly and appears to be very poor."

--1st Sergeant Martin J. Norde of Company I
September 15, 1864, diary entry