Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Martin Johnson was born in Norway, probably from Ringebu. He joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company C. The men of the company called themselves the “Norway Bear Hunters,” but they were also known as the Color Company because the regimental Color Guard was attached to their company. The army listed him as living in Waterford, Racine County, WI, age 21, a laborer, and unmarried. He had blue eyes, dark hair, light complexion, and stood 5’9”. He enlisted for three years on February 29, 1864 at Waterford, and mustered on March 16, 1864 at Milwaukee, WI as a Private (Menig). He came to Company C at McDonalds Station, TN on April 26, 1864. Johnson was transferred to Company H at Whiteside, TN on January 1, 1865. He was temporarily assigned to the 24th Infantry and was sick in Division Hospital on May 28, 1865. Johnson transferred to I Company of the 13th Infantry on June 11, 1865. He mustered out on November 30, 1865 at Madison, WI.

In 1892, he was admitted to the Sawtelle Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers in Los Angeles, CA. It listed him as having had a fractured skull while in service. After the war, he worked as a sailor and remained unmarried.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, box 76-13; Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol.18, p.178; vol.20, p.46; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, Iowa, 1894), p.418; Oberst Heg og hans gutter, Waldemar Ager, 1916, Fremad Pub. Co., Eau Claire, WI, p.299; Blaine Hedberg, NAGC&NL [One Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin, Adjutant General’s Office listing gives residence as Scandinavia, Waupaca County]; U.S. National Homes for Disabled Soldiers, 1866-1938, p.1491.