Having served under nine American Generals during the Civil War, Lieutenant Colonel Johan Anton Adolf Carlsson Warberg’s final military assignment was with the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry. Warberg returned to Sweden at war’s end and wrote a memoir that was published in 1867. In 1887 Warberg suffered a devastating stroke that left him paralyzed and unable to speak clearly.
Invalid — 1,074,858 / 895,314
Widow — 1,203,293 / 938,940, Ebba Charlota Warberg
Notarized Statement, Adolf Carlsson Warberg, 19 December 1891
“I, Johan Anton Adolf Carlsson Warberg, herewith ask if I am not entitled to a pension in pursuance of the Law of June 27, 1890, and shall feel greatly obliged if the papers necessary for me to sign are forwarded to my address: Lund, Sweden.
“I beg to state, that in the month of April 1862, I was appointed additional aide-de-camp on the staff of Major General Fremont, with the rank of Major. I was subsequently appointed, on the 25th of June, 1863, Major of the 58th Regiment of Infantry, New York State Volunteers, and on the 1st of June, 1864, Captain in the 90th Regiment of Infantry, New York State Volunteers. For consideration of my behaviour on a reconnaisance of the environs of Richmond, I was nominated (on the 3rd of October 1864) Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Regiment of the Colored Cavalry and appointed Acting Assistant Inspector-General of the 10th Army Division.
“During the war I served not only on the staff of General Fremont, but also on those of General Clusert, Steinvehr, Banks, Seymour, Birney, Terry, and Weitzel.
“Lund, Sweden, December 19, 1891
“Yours very respectfully
“Adolf Carlsson Warberg
“I, Notary Public of the city of Lund, Sweden, hereby certify and solemnly declare, that in my presence Lieutenant-Colonel Adolf Carlsson Warberg, who because of paralysis … ”
[Note: The narrative ends when the word “paralysis” appears at the bottom of the page. There’s nothing written on the back of this page nor is there an attached page that completes the thought. — Leslie]
Appendix: History of Illness of Lieutenant-Colonel Adolph Carlsson Warberg, 24 June 1892
“Anamnesis
“Mr. Adolf Carlson Warberg was struck on the 10 December 1887 with a serious hemorrhage of brain, accompanied by paralysis of the muscles of the right side of the body, by unconsciousness and other symptoms, which accompany a violent apoplexy. According to reliable accounts the state of unconsciousness continued for nearly three weeks with perhaps a very few periodical clearings up of it; after this time his state began to improve, his consciousness to clear up and his power of speech, however in a rather feeble degree, to return. The power of moving his members began in a certain degree also to return, as is generally the case, somewhat better in the leg than in the arm, but it has remained nevertheless since that time very bad. The power of speech (to which I have to return afterwards) which in the course of improvement was not very bad, has since become much worse, it being now quite impossible to understand the patient. Otherwise no distrubances in the functions have taken place of late. The sleep however has now and then been bad, wherefore small doses of morphine and chloral have been given. The appetite has been good. It is absolutely impossible to anybody to suppose that any abuse of alcohol could have caused the apoplexy. I do not know whether the syphilis had preceded it. …”
“Henrik Flygare
“Regimental Physician”
[Note: The physician continues for two more handwritten pages to describe the intellectual and physical limitations of his patient — Leslie]
General Affidavit, P. Follin and Carl ab Petersen, 5 July 1895
“[B]oth of Town of Luna, County of Malmo [?] … to the best of our knowledge and belief we do state that, the paralysis of right hand, from which Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Adolph Warberg is suffering, was not caused by vicious habits … we declare that both of us were acquainted with him for many years before he had a paralytic stroke, and knew him as a man of orderly and temperate habits, and that his physician has declared in his firm opinion that the illness of Mr. Warberg has nothing in connection with vicious habits of any kind whatever.”
Widow’s Application for Pension, Ebba Warberg, 29 October 1897
“State of Sweden, County of Malmouns [sp?] … personally appeared Ebba Charlotta Warberg, who, being duly sworn, declares that she is the lawful widow of Adolf Carlson Warberg, deceased; that he died on the 12th of May, 1897 … she was married to the said Adolf C. Warberg on the 25th day of May 1868 at Lund, in the State of Sweden; that her name before said marriage was Ebba Charlotta ab Peterrens; that she had not been previously married; that her husband had not been previously married … and that her residence is No. 2 Stora Sodergarten, Lund, Sweden.
“Also personally appeared Peter Follin, residing at Lund, Lilla Fishergarten 1, and J.G. Stael von Holstein residing at Lund, Lilla Fishergarten 2, who being duly sworn say that they were present and saw Ebba Charlotta Warberg sign her name to the foregoing declaration; and that they know her to be the lawful wife of Adolf Carlson Warberg who died on the 12th day of May 1897; and that their means of knowledge that said parties were husband and wife, and that the husband died on the said date, are as follows: long and intimate acquaintance with the Claimant and the deceased soldier.”
Memo from the Minister of Sweden to the U.S. Secretary of State, 17 March 1923
“The minister of Sweden presents his compliments to His Excellency the Secretary of State and has the honor to present, on behalf of Mrs. Ebba Charlotta Warberg, Liljansplan 1, Stockholm, an application for pension, also an extract from the official record of the merits of her deceased husband ADOLF CARLSSON WARBERG, who served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil War.
“According to information furnished to the Legation the late soldier was receiving pension from the American Government at the time of his death.
“The Minister would be highly obliged for information when this claim shall have been acted upon.
“Washington, DC
March 17, 1923
“LH:gh
“1.6.23
“Incs.”
EXTRACT
from the official record of deceased Lieutenant-Colonel Adolf Carlsson Warberg
Born 8/22/25
Date of first appointment as officer — lieutenant in the Swedish Army 4/24/1849
“1862, 63, 64, and 65 Mr. Warberg took active part in the Civil War.
In 1862 he was appointed Major in the General Staff — U.S. Army — and acted upon as such on various staff. under nine different and Generals, participated in the fights in the Shenandoah Valley, in the battles against Stonewall Jackson, at Straussburg, Harrisonburg and Crosskeys; was present at the sieges of Charleston and Petersburg — during latter acting as acting as chief of topography with the 10th Army Corps outpost, fights and skirmishes at New Market Heights, Fort Harrison, Laurel Hill, Johnson Fram, Darbytown Road and Cox Farm — also in same capacity at an open reconnoitering of the enemy’s capital RIchmond on which occasion the reconnoitering detachment, a brigade consisting of all different kinds of troops had a serious encounter lasting all day with the enemy. On the battlefield then he was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in U.S. Army and appointed Acting Assistant Inspector General with the 10th Army Corps — which position he filled until the end of the Civil War.
“In 1865 July 13 — permitted to receive and wear the Phila. Medal ‘The Union League’
“1866 April 16 — Awarded the Swedish Medal -‘ For valour in War
“That the above is a true extract from the official record is herewith extracted.
“illegible]
“Capitain [sic] in the Swedish Army”
Affidavit, Axel af Petersens & Waldemar Thott, 22 May 1923
“I, the undersigned Axel af Petersens, born on the 8th August 1860, Auditor of the Royal Army Administrator, living at No 71 Grefturgatan in this city, second cousin of Mrs. Ebba Warberg, widow of the deceased Lieutenant-Colonel in the army of U.S.A. Adolf C. Warberg, do hereby certify on oath that I was personally acquainted with Mr. Adolf C. Warberg, who died in the town of Lund in Sweden on the 12th May 1897 from a fit of apolplexy and that the deceased had been legally married to his aforesaid wife Ebba Warberg on the 25th May 1868; that this married couple ever since their marriage have lived together as husband and wife until the death of Mr. Adolf C. Warberg on the 12th May 1897, [and] also that Mrs. Warberg after the death of her husband has not married again but lives this day unmarriedand has up to the 1st October 1906 resided at Lund and then and this day is living at No. 1 Lilljansplan in Stockholm.
“I, the undersigned Waldemar Thott, Baron, Captain at the Royal Life Guard of Svea, born on the 4th January 1878, living at No. 21 Riddaregatan in Stockholm, married to a niece of the abovenamed Mrs. Ebba Warberg, do hereby certify on oath that I on acccount of my marriage have known Mrs. Ebba Warberg since 1906 and that my deceased father has been well acquainted with the family relations of the aforesaid husband Adolf C. Warberg and wife Mrs. Ebba Warberg.”
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 