Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Ole Larsen Fosse was born on August 7, 1839, in Voss, Hordaland, Norway. His parents were Lars Andersen Fosse and Anna Olsdatter Bolstad. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company H. The men of his company called themselves “Heg’s Rifles” in honor of the 15th commander, Colonel Hans C. Heg. They were also known as the “Voss Company” because of a large number of them who were from the Voss region of Norway.  His brothers, Andrew L. Fosse and Stephen L. Fosse also joined Company H.

The army listed Fosse as living in Deerfield, Dane County, WI, age 23, and unmarried. He enlisted for three years on October 17, 1861, at Cambridge, WI, and mustered at Madison, WI, on February 13, 1862, as a Private (Menig). He was assigned as Company Wagonmaster. He was sick in Chattanooga, TN, on November 28, 1863. Fosse was seriously wounded in both legs at New Hope Church, GA, on May 27, 1864, and sent to hospital. He mustered out with H Company on February 13, 1865, at Chattanooga. Stephen L. Fosse was his brother.

After the war, he went to Kendall County, IL. He was married on February 26, 1867, to Anna Askildson and they had two children. He died on June 6, 1881, in Lisbon Township, Kendall County, IL, and buried in Helmar Lutheran Cemetery, Newark, Kendall Co, IL.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office box 76-10; Regimental Muster and Descriptive Rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol. 20, p. 114; Det Femtende Regiment. Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett, 1894, B. Anundsen, Decorah, IA, p. 559; Nordmændene i Amerika, Martin Ulvestad, 1907, History Book Co., Minneapolis, MN, p. 282; Oberst Heg og hans gutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Publ. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p. 309; The Military History of Wisconsin in the War for the Union, Edwin B. Quiner, 1866, Clarke & Co., Chicago, p. 629; Lars Gjertveit, Bodo, Norway; Blaine Hedberg, NAGC&NL.