Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907 Norwegians in American Wars. The author had hoped that he could begin the section with George Washington himself who was well known as a warrior* but best known as the first President of the United States. It is claimed that he was of Norwegian descent. According to Alfred Wells' genealogic works and other sources, Washington's forefathers came from Norway to the east coast of England where they settled - 8 miles north of the present city of Richmond in York County. The place was called Vaskeby because there was a small lake nearby where the colony's women washed their clothes. Later the name Vaskeby was translated into English and came to be Washingtown and the 'town' was later shortened to 'ton'. George Washington took his name from his birthplace which people generally did in almost all countries in those days. But since this happened many hundreds of years ago we repeat it here - with reservation. One should not be absolutely confident when it involves ancient things that may have gone through many (perhaps at times unreliable) hands. Another famous person who I believed could be identified as a Norwegian was General H. A. Haralson. His daughter Mrs. Gordon (widow of General J. B. Gordon) who is said to live in Atlanta Ga. has, however, not answered my inquiries. But now we come to those whose nationality I can establish. And I have listed them naturally by rank - in groups - and at the same time in the respective groups arranged their names alphabetically. Thereby one can find more easily what one searches for *In this connection I will not fail to mention the Norwegian Thomas Johnson who served under Admiral John Paul Jones and took part in the first significant sea battle in America's history. He was one of those who grappled the 'Bonhomme Richard' to the 'Serapis', a heroic action which almost cost him his life for he was struck by a bullet. Later he was sent for by George Washington who because of the bravery Johnson showed wished to personally see and thank him. COLONELS: 3 (of whom 2 later functioned as Brigadiers) HEG, Hans C., born in Lier, near Drammen, 1829. In 1840 he emigrated with his parents to Muskego, Wis. where they, as previously mentioned, were among the first settlers and where his father Even H. Heg was the publisher of 'Nordlyset'. In 1861 when the Civil War broke out and the 15th Wisconsin Regiment was organized, Heg was appointed (by the Governor) as its Colonel. During the war he also functioned as Brigade head. He fell at the Battle of Chickamauga. When the commanding General heard that he exclaimed, "It saddens me greatly that Heg is fallen. He was a skilled officer and I had it in mind to promote him to General." At the site where he fell the government raised a monument at a cost of $25,000 with the following inscription: "Hans C. Heg, Col. 15th Wisconsin; commanding 3rd Brigade, Davis Division; mortally wounded about 4 P. M. September 19th, 1863." This is a sign of the high esteem in which he was held. (His political career is given below in the section, "Norwegians in Public Positions in America" and about his Regiment "The 15th Wis." we find a full account later in this section.) JOHNSON, Ole C. was born on the Skipnes farm, Holden Parish, Telemarken, 1838 and emigrated with his parents to Whitewater, Wis., 1844. In 1859 they moved to Koshkonong in the same State. Ole started out as a Captain for Company B, 15th Wis. Reg. and during the course of the Civil War he was promoted first to Major and later to Lieutenant-Colonel. At the Battle of Chickamauga he was captured and taken to Libby Prison where he remained for a longer time but from where he found the opportunity to escape. He came back to the Regiment and took up arms again. In 1865, when his sevice in the 15th Wis. ran out he was appointed as Colonel for the 53rd Wis. He as well as many other of our veterans can be found in the section, "Norwegians in Public Positions in America". He died in Beloit, Wis.at the end of the 80s. OLSEN, Porter C., son of Ole Olsen Hetletvedt who emigrated from Stavanger on the sloop "Restaurationen" in 1825 and who first settled in Orleans Co., N.Y. and who in 1839 moved to Kendall Co., Ill. where according to the Settlement history earlier in the book he was the first Norwegian settler - and owner of the land where the Town of Newark was built. At the outbreak of the Civil War Porter Olsen organized a Company mainly made up of Norwegian boys (Company F, 36th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers) He went to the field as a Captain for the Volunteers but over a short period he was advanced to Colonel, later he even functioned as a Brigadier - and fell as such in the Battle of Franklin, Tenn.