Confederate History Moment

Pvt. James Buchanan McLaughlin, CSA

Two of my great-great-great-grand-uncles served together in 2nd Company C of the the 25th Virginia Infantry of the Army of Northern Virginia of the Army of the Confederate States of America. Here is a little information about them.


James Buchanan McLaughlin was born April 1, 1843 in Rock Camp, Braxton County, Virginia.

He enlisted in Company C of the 9th Virginia Battalion (later, the 2nd Company C of the 25th Virginia Infantry at Sutton, VA, now WV) on May 18, 1861. He was captured (along with his brother Richard, see below) at the Wilderness (May 15, 1864), sent to Belle Plain, then to Point Lookout POW Camp, May 17, 1864. After the death of his brother as a POW at Point Lookout, James was sent to the notorious POW camp at Elmira on August 10, 1864 (which had a 24% death rate among the more than 12,000 POWs who were held there). He survived ten months at Elmira, and was released at the end of the war, June 23, 1865.

On December 13, 1868, James married Elizabeth Mary Fox (1848-1927). They lived in Glendon, WV and had ten children. James died on July 4, 1940 (at the age of 97) in Glendon, and he and his wife were both buried in the so-called James B. McLaughlin cemetery near Glendon - which I have as of yet not been able to find even with the detailed county map.


Richard Johnson McLaughlin was born in 1841 in Rock Camp, Braxton County, Virginia.

He enlisted in Company C of the 9th Virginia Battalion (later, the 2nd Company C of the 25th Virginia Infantry at Sutton, VA, now WV) on May 18, 1861 with his brother. He was severely wounded in the knee at Gettysburg and captured on July 2, 1863 (the regiment suffered 25% casualties at Gettysburg). He was then sent to David's Island, New York Harbor. He was paroled and exchanged, arriving at City Point, Sept 16, 1863. He was again captured at Spotsylvania, May 12, 1864. He was sent to Belle Plain, and then to Point Lookout POW Camp, where he was briefly reunited with his brother. He died there on July 21, 1864 (age 23) of inflammation of the lungs, and was presumably buried there and later moved to the mass grave of several thousand POWs, marked today by a single monument.

The courage and sacrifice of the heroic POWs captured in the War for Southern Independence is remembered to this day by grateful descendants who continue to honor their memory and legacy.


Biographical data largely taken from the 25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry by Richard L. Armstrong from the Virginia Regimental Histories Series.