John Claudius Buchanan

He was raised in Pennsylvania and trained as a gunsmith. A resident of Grand Rapids since 1843, he entered service in Company D, Eighth Michigan Infantry at its organization at Grand Rapids, for 3 years, at age 38. He was commissioned First Lieutenant on 12 August 1861, and mustered at that rank on 23 September 1861. He was commissioned Captain of his Company on 1 September 1862.

He was wounded in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862 - shot in the right arm just below the shoulder.

After a brief recovery, he returned to his Regiment on 20 October 1862. He was in action at Vicksburg and Jackson, MS, in 1863, and in the East Tennessee Campaign into 1864. He was with the regiment as they reenlisted as Veterans early in 1864He resigned for disability and was honorably discharged on 3 May 1864 at Culpeper, VA.

He returned to Grand Rapids for a rest, then studied dentistry in Watertown, NY for two years. He began to practice in Grand Rapids in 1866.

Service information from the State of Michigan.1 Further details from family genealogists and M.A. Leeson's History of Kent County, Michigan (1881), pp. 961-62. His middle name is sometimes seen as Claude. His gravesite is on Findagrave. Thanks to Tom Rice for the pointer to that and his photo. His picture here is from a photograph provided by 3x great-granddaughter Sarah Miller Boye, from her collection.

He married Sophia Hascal Bingham (1833-1910) in 1854 and they had 6 children, 3 of whom survived him.

A photograph of him and letters about his experience in the 8th Infantry are in the Abel Bingham (his father-in-law) papers at the Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.

Wartime letters to his wife and other family papers are at the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.

05/15/1823; Ithaca, NY

08/03/1902; Grand Rapids, MI; burial in Fulton Street Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI