Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Lars Johan Olson was born “Lars Olsen Medalseie” (or “Medalen”) on May 26, 1840 near Hurum at Eggerud, Buskerud, Norway. He was the fourth child of Ole Torstensen Medalsplassen and Eli Ellefsdatter Bøleshagen. They came to America in 1861. Olson joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company B. The men of the company called themselves the “Wergeland Guards” in honor of Henrik Wergeland, the famous Norwegian writer and poet.

The army listed him as living in Stoughton, Dane County, WI, age 21, and unmarried. He enlisted for three years on October 28, 1861 at Madison, WI, and mustered there on November 16, 1861 as a Private (Menig). Olson was seriously wounded in Battle of Stones River, TN on December 31, 1862 and died of wounds near Murfreesboro, TN on January 3, 1863. He was buried at Stones River National Battlefield, grave unknown. In 1879, his father filed a pension in his name. At that time, the father’s name was listed as Ole Olson Sharpe.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, box 77-8; Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol.20, p.34; “Sigdal og Eggedal, Gard og Slekt”, Andreas Morch, vol. 3, p.1190; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillage [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1895), p.394; Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Vol I & II, compiled under direction of the Adjutant General, Madison, WI, 1886, p.809; Oberst Heg og hans Gutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Publ. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p.297; Letter, Donald E.McGee, Superintendent, Stones River National Battlefield, 28 Oct 1987; Death certificate, Records of Adjutant General, State of Wisconsin, certificate dated 6 Dec 1879; Civil War Pension Index, Roll #T288_355.