I am afraid there is not much to be found out about Claiborne's service prior to his being captured in 1863. This dearth of information is directly related to the dearth of wartime records in the 50th Va. Here is what I have on him.

Pennington, Clayborn Harvey, D/50th Va., Pvt.
830/11/02 B. [34]

860/00/00Cen Claburn H. Pennington, 30, prewar farmer, White Top P.O., Grayson Co. Real estate value: $600; personal estate value: $300. Wife: Charity, 26. [69b][73a]

862/06/00 Enl Grayson Co [1]

862/08/04-862/08/14 Fuloughed on leave BTD when reported absent from unit [50Va: 116j1]

863/07/05 Captured Waterloo, Pa [1]

863/07/09 BTD POW Ft McHenry, Baltimore; sent to F t Delaware [1]

863/07/12=863/10/26 BTD POW Ft. Delaware; sent to Pt Lookout

863/10/27=865/02/13 POW Pt Lookout; paroled for exchange [1]

865/02/15 BTD rcvd for exchange, Coxes Landing, James River [1]

865/02/16=865/02/18 Hosp, Richmond; pres, paroled POW, Camp Lee, Richmond [1]

865/02/20 At Richmond. Furloughed 40-day sick lv

870/00/00Cen Claborn Pennington, 40, farmer, Helton P.O., Helton Twnshp, Ashe Co., NC. Real estate value: $500; personal estate value: $400. Wife: Charity, 34.[50Va: 160]

880/00/00Cen C. H. Pennington, 49, farmer, Helton Twnshp, Ashe Co., NC. Wife: Charity C., 44.[50Va: 161]

900/00/00Cen Claborn Pennington, 69, farmer, Helton Twnshp, Ashe Co., NC. B. 830/11. Wife: Charity C., 65. Married 44 years. 8 children, 7 living. [50Va: 162]

910/00/00Cen Cayton Pennington, 79, not working, Wilson District, Grayson Co. Wife: Charitie, 75. Married 49 years. 8 children, 7 living. [50Va: 163]

912/04/22 Living Madison Co, Nebraska, age 81. Witnesses pension app [34]

915/03/20 Dd [34]

999/99/92 Clayborn H. Pennington, B. 830/11/02; dd 915/03/21. Buried Osborn Cem., Madison Co., Neb. [50Va: 171]

999/99/95 Claiborn Pennington (1830- ). Father: Samuel Pennington (1795-1862). Mother: Elizabeth Anderson (1802-1846). Brothers: Stephen (1821-1890); Elisha (1832-1922); David (1836- ); Andrew Jackson (1838-1864) [50Va: 170v]