Moses A. McLaughlin

Moses A. McLaughlin (1834 - 1899) Irish born, California Militia officer, Union Army officer, farmer, later a doctor. As Captain, 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry, he is best known for his role in the 1863 Keyesville Massacre, and subsequent campaign that forced the capitulation of the Owens Valley Paiute in the Owens Valley Indian War and their removal to Fort Tejon.

Moses A. McLaughlin was born in County Antrim, Ireland in 1834. Little is known about his early life except that he immigrated to the United States and was in Oroville, California by late 1856. There on December 22, 1856, he joined in organizing the Oroville Guard, a California Militia Company headquartered at Oroville, Butte County, California. M. A. McLaughlin was chosen Captain, but after they had received their arms, a disastrous fire burned the armory and surrounding buildings on July 5, 1857. This ended their activities until the beginning of the Civil War.

After the start of the American Civil War McLaughlin enlisted in the 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry September 10, 1861 as a Captain. His Company D, was soon sent to Southern California to support the buildup of troops there for the defense and occupation of the area.

McLaughlin may have had prior professional military experience in the cavalry arm, (possibly in the antebellum U. S. Army), for one of his superiors, Assistant Adjutant General, Lt. Col. Richard C. Drum mentions him in his report of his tour of inspection of the District of Southern California:

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