Read
Scripts &
Listen to Audio
2004 Broadcasts
2005 Broadcasts
2006 Broadcasts
The
McLaughlin Brothers
MP3 Audio
Brother against brother during the Civil War… The McLaughlins… on this Moment of Indiana History.
Presented with support from The Indiana Historical Society, publishers of Skirting the Issue: Indiana’s Historic Women Artists…more information at Indiana History.org.
The American Civil War is often called the war that pitted brother against brother. This was literally true of one Indianapolis family. John McLaughlin commanded a company in the 47th Indiana Infantry. His brother Harry, who had moved to Alabama several years earlier, enlisted in the 35th Alabama infantry.
The brothers met in the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863. Following the conflict, John combed the battlefield for his brother, Harry. By chance, he found him and fulfilled his duty as a Union officer by taking his brother into custody as a Confederate prisoner of war.
Harry languished for 20 months in the Union prison at Johnson’s Island. He was released on January 29, 1865 through a pardon secured by his sister Susan from President Abraham Lincoln.
After the war Harry returned to his family in Alabama and John migrated to Topeka, Kansas where he became a gunsmith. It isn’t known whether the brothers ever met face to face again after their chance encounter on the battlefield.
This Moment of Indiana History is a production of the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations in association with the Indiana Historical Society. More information is available at “moment of Indiana history dot org."