Norwegians in the Civil War
Browse Last Names Starting with “WAE”
- WAERENSKJOLD, William
- TX 1st Cav Co F. CSA. Residence: Van Zandt County, Texas. Born “Johan Mathaeus Christian Wilhelm Waerenskjold” on 24 Aug 1823 in Fredrikshald, Østfold, Norway, son of Otto Christian Wærenskjold and Cathrine Caroline Poulsen. Came to America at age 23, arriving in New Orleans on 12 Jul 1847 on the “New England” from Havre, France. Married 10 Sep 1848 to Elise Amalie Tvede. Civil War: Enlisted 8 Feb 1862 at Canton, Texas. Served first with the 1st Cavalry of Texas State Troops, later as a Second Lieutenant with TX 11th Inf Co E. Relieved of duty 25 Jun 1862. Later served as a private in TX 1st Cav Co F. Post war: He was murdered in Prairieville, Kaufman County, Texas, on 17 Nov 1866. Buried in Four Mile Cemetery, Prairieville. In one of his wife’s letters, she said her husband had been three times in the army. Sources: (“Norwegian Soldiers in Confederate Forces” by C.A.Clausen & Derwood Johnson, publ. in Norwegian-American Studies, volume 25, Northfield, Minnesota, p115) (“The Lady with the Pen”, edited by C. A. Clausen, publ Norwegian American Historical Association, 1961) (Naeseth vol 3 p6) (www.borgerkrigen.info) “Warenskjold, William” “Van Shaw, W”