DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - During the War Between the States, a Model 1857 Napoleon cannon would bark twelve pounds of grapeshot at a time toward the enemy.
Albert Woolson of Windom, Minnesota was training to be a drummer boy for a unit like those.
It appears he lied about his age to join a Minnesota artillery regiment in 1864.
“Take a look at his headstone and it says he was born in 1847 but all census records show he was born in 1850.” said Jay Hagen of Veterans Memorial Hall.
If that’s true, Woolson was 106 when he died in Duluth in 1956.
His passing was big news all across our nation.
Albert was the last survivor of the Union Army that freed the slaves and held the nation together.
After the war, Woolson moved to Duluth and worked as a carpenter.
He became active in th