Jens T. Dahle (b. 1839, d. 1919) immigrated to Minnesota in 1858 from Leikanger parish, Norway. Four years later he enlisted in the Union Army to fight for the 2nd Minnesota Sharpshooters. In this narrative, written in the style of creative non-fiction, his experiences come to life: contracting malaria, spending six months in a Confederate prison, and experiencing the rigors of battle, including fighting in four of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. This book is a story of my friend's great grandfather. They are both survivors.