Political arrests during the Civil War were quite common. Some of those arrested were charged with such crimes as: “secessionist, rank secessionist, supposed secessionist, sympathizing with the South, bushwhacker, rebel aider, rebel mail carrier, rebel scout, and comforting rebels”. The list goes on.

According to Prisoner-of-War records at Point Lookout, Maryland [“Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865”; Roll: M598_113] Wigginton was captured in Prince William County, Virginia on June 28, 1863. Listed as being a 17 year-old farmer. No charges are stated. Sent to Point Lookout from Old Capitol Prison on March 8, 1864.

Appears as W. H. Wigginton on an undated roll titled “We, the undersigned, desire to be sent South as Prisoners of War for Exchange” [“Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865”; Roll: M598_124] Notation by list of names says, “These men all came to camp after the raid made by General Kilpatrick”. Wigginton appears as a “citizen” of Prince William County, Virginia.

“Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865”; Roll: M598_110, states that he was transferred to Clinton Prison in New York on September 15, 1864. This record calls him William H. Wigginton.

http://www.correctionhistory.org/northcountry/dannemora/historyindex.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Correctional_Facility

Clinton Correctional Facility
Route 374, Cook Street
P.O. Box 2000
Dannemora, New York 12929-2000
(518) 492-2511

I suggest you go to a library or research center that has access to Ancestry.com and search these prisoner-of-war records yourself. Be aware that there were other prisoners-of-war named William Wigginton and W.H. Wigginton, and note variant spellings such as “Wiggenton” etc.

It is interesting that one so young should be held so long……

Did William Wigginton survive the war? What became of him? Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this case.