Individual Details

Seth Laughlin was drafted into the Confederate army in Virginia. After refusing to wear the uniform or obey orders, an officer determined to make an example of such conduct by various methods of punishment. Laughlin was kept awake for thirty-six hours straight, a guard ordered to bayonet him gently if he should fall asleep. When this didn't work, Laughlin was "bucked" and "gagged" for three hours each day, then immediately following this suspended by his thumbs for an hour an a half. When he still refused to fight after a week of this torturous punishment, he was sentenced to death by firing squad. Laughlin was granted one final request in front of his executioners. Calmly, he said a prayer, not for himself but for the souls of the firing squad. Officers realized their folly in executing a man like Laughlin, commuting his sentence to imprisonment. But in prison, Laughlin's prior treatment took its toll and Laughlin died less than a month later, leaving seven children and a wife. He is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA


Seth is living with William and Gilly Pearce Briles Laughlin (2nd wife of William; his first wife is Elizabeth Briles) in the 1850 census. There is a second Seth living with them who is the son of William and Elizabeth Laughlin Briles born in 1837.


Some sources has a Seth Laughlin that was married to Elizabeth Gallimore being the one that died in the civil war (held prisoner), but the dates dont match. There is s Seth Laughlin that was born in 1825, son of Iredell Laughlin, that was married to Elizabeth Gallimore

Birth	26 Oct 1822
Death	8 Dec 1864
Burial		Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA

Spouse	Levenia Edna Blair (1823 - 1897)
Child	Preston Smith Laughlin (1853 - 1944)
Child	Susan Laughlin (1855 - 1937)
Child	William Dayton Laughlin (1858 - 1925)
Child	Rebecca Laughlin (1856 - )
Child	Shubal W. Laughlin (1860 - 1916)
Child	Hannah Laughlin (1862 - 1933)
Child	Seth Wade Laughlin Jr. (1864 - 1930)