Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Tove Torgerson was born in Norway. He immigrated in 1852. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company F. The men of the company called themselves “KK’s Protectors” in honor of the 15th’s first Lieutenant Colonel, Kiler K. Jones. “F” was also known as the Valdres Company because a large number of its members hailed from the Valdres region of Norway.

The army listed him as living in Decorah, Winneshiek County, IA, a farmer, age 23, and unmarried. He had blue eyes, light hair, light complexion, and 5’5” tall. He enlisted for three years on November 26, 1861 at Decorah and mustered at Madison, WI on December 29, 1861 as a Private (Menig). He was sick in the hospital on June 20, 1862 and in Iuka, MS on August 21, 1862. He was wounded at Stones River, TN. On April 3, 1863, he was discharged from the service for “chronic diarrhea and nearsightedness” at Murfreesboro, TN and returned to Decorah.

After the war, he married Ann. She was born in 1841 in Norway and immigrated in 1866. They lived in Winneshiek County, IA.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, boxes 76-8, 77-1; Regimental Muster and Descriptive Rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol.20, p.92; Ole A. Buslett, Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers] (Decorah, Iowa, 1894), p.520; DGA; Oberst Heg og hansgutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Pub. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p.308; Martin Ulvestad, Nordmændene i Amerika, 1907, History Book Co., Minneapolis, MN, p.337; Blaine Hedberg, NAGC&NL; 1920 Census, Roll: T625_519, Page: 8B, Enumeration District: 163, Image: 201.