...Flag design is based on a small torn section of the regimental battle flag which is on display in the Confederate Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana. May 19, 1865. When the 18th Regiment was disbanded the flag was torn into ten pieces and a piece given to each of the ten company commanders. (Placement of Battle Inscriptions is specualtive and based on similar Confederate battle flags of the same period.)

...At this point in time, we are still searching for an image of Pvt. William McBride and we hope to add one in the forseeable future. Should any of his decendants have a photo of William, and would gratiously care to place a copy of his photo at this web site...this researcher would be grateful.

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Mcbride, William, Pvt. Co. K, 18th La. Inf. En. Jan. 16, 1862, Camp Benjamin. Rolls from May, 1862, to June, 1863, Present. Roll for July and Aug., 1863, Absent, sick, at Camp Taylor, since Aug. 31, 1863.

Mcbride, William, Pvt. Co. D, 7th La. Cav. Roll of Prisoners of War, C. S. A., Paroled at Washington, La., June 17, 1865. Res. St. Landry Par., La.

WILLIAM MCBRIDE -- was born in Vermillon Parish, LA, September 15, 1842. William's parents were Walter Scott McBride and Julia (Juditih) Eveline Higginbotham McBride. Most of William's life was spent in St. Landry or Acadia Parish, LA.

On January 16, 1862, William joined Co. K., the Opelousas Volunteers of St. Landry parish, under the leadership of Capt. Louis Lastrapes, the 18th Louisiana Infantry Regiment (Volunteers). William served as a private with the 18th Louisiana Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Shiloh, on April 6-7, 1862 the bloodiest of Civil War battles to date. William survived the battle of Shiloh, only to be captured by Federal troops. According to his Confederate Pension Application, he was captured at the Battle of Shiloh and paroled.

After experiencing the horrors of Shiloh, William joined Company D. of the 7th Louisiana Calvary as a Private and served under the leadership of Colonel Louis Bush. This regiment was organized to operate principally agains Jahawkers and small Federal units in southwestern Louisiana. The regiment participated in skirmishes at Crumps' Hill, and Wilson's Farm as well as performing other duties including picket duty. Most of the men of the regiment occupied a camp near Alexandria in May, 1865 when the Trans-Mississippi Department surrendered. William was listed on the Rolls of Prisoners of War at New Orleans, May 26, 1865. He was paroled for a second time at Washington, LA, June 17, 1865.

William's profession before and after the war was that of a blacksmith and farmer.

After his return from the war, William married Marie Euphrosine Barousse at Church Point, LA on July 9, 1867. This marriage produced nine issues.

Children of William and Julia (Juditih) Eveline Higginbotham McBride were: Joseph Cornelius, Jean (John), Marie Julia, Clara (Claire), Anna, Evelina (Vina), Aurelia, Joseph Elish, Marie, and Joseph Wherries.

"An uncle of mine, [an uncle of Patrick L. Welton, the biography contributor], as a small boy, saw a saddle with the horn missing. The family legend is that the saddle horn was shot off at the Battle of Shiloh when William McBride was a messenger".

"My mother (1906-1990), [mother of biography contributor Patrick L. Welton], always told me the most profanity she ever heard him use was "corn scoundrels luck".'

William McBride died on September 29, 1929, at the age of 87, and was laid to rest in Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Cemetery (old section) on Plaquemine St., one block off Hwy 95 in Church Point, LA. There is a 7th LA Cav., Co. D, C.S.A. headstone marking the final resting place of William McBride in Church Point, Louisiana.

A special THANK YOU is extended to Patrick L. Welton, Great grandson of William McBride, for his generous contribution of materials with regards to the biography of William McBride, Pvt., Co. K., 18th Louisiana Infantry Regiment

Additional information with regards to the units to which William McBride was attached are from the Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865, by Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr. and Records of Louisiana Confederate Soldiers and Louisiana Confederate Commands, by Andrew B. Booth