My great-great-grandfather, Ole I. Ellingson, and his younger brother, Martin, were residents of Albert Lea in 1856, Freeborn County, having only formed in 1855. Ole joined the 4th Minnesota Volunteers in 1861; Martin joined the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry in 1862.

Martin did not return from the war passing in Vicksburg, Miss., in July 1863, age 25, some two weeks after the siege and surrender of the city. I do not have diaries, accounts or letters to read; however, there remains a source of information — this newspaper and the records it has access to. Not letters on two immigrants and Minnesota pioneer settlers, but printed stories of the actions and events, the years of 1860 and 1861, in Albert Lea.

There were immigrants/settlers of Czech, English, German, Danish and Norwegian origin in addition to settlers from the eastern USA residing in Freeborn County in 1861, many of them recent immigrants to the nation.

Just why did these men enlist, many leaving wives and children, in an American army and fight in a dangerous war considering that the draft was not to come until 1863? This raises the question: What was it like to be in Albert Lea and Freeborn County, in the summer of 1861? Oh, if it were possible, to go back to Albert Lea, the afternoon of July 4, 1861, and listen to citizen discussing the current events of the war.

I encourage this newspaper to devote several issues to this subject, to search its records and reprint stories of 1860 and 1861. Possibly each of us might better understand why these men enlisted in regiments and fought in a dangerous war. Should any of you have information, you will find me at Kent_glenwoodco@yahoo.com.

 

Kent Brakken

Cedaredge, Colo.

 

Editor’s note: Good idea. However, this newspaper began publishing one score and 12 years after the Civil War ended. Also, the Tribune looked back at the local military history in 2006 as part of our celebration of the sesquicentennial of Albert Lea and now-retired writer and historian Ed Shannon wrote specifically on the Civil War era on several occasions over the years.