b. 1839 Downingtown, Pennsylvania. d. 22/08/1866 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 14/03/1863 Port Hudson, Louisiana.
Vaughn was born in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1839, the son of Matthew Vaughn and Ann Vaughn.
He enlisted for military service as his nation was descending into secession and civil war. After enrolling in Philadelphia in October 1860, Vaughn officially mustered in with the U.S. Marine Corps at the Marine Barracks in Philadelphia on October 31. During his service, he obtained the rank of sergeant and served aboard the USS Tennessee and USS Mississippi. The steam-powered and 17-gun warship USS Mississippi was part of the U.S. Navy fleet commanded by Admiral David Farragut that battled with Confederate artillery batteries on March 14–15, 1863, shortly before and prelude to, the Union army’s battle and siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana.
On July 10, 1863, Vaughn was awarded the Medal of Honor (Navy version) for his actions during the night of March 14 aboard the Mississippi. He was “commended for zeal and courage displayed in the performance of unusual and trying service while the vessel was aground and exposed to a heavy fire”. He was honorably discharged in Philadelphia on November 7, 1864. Vaughn and Sergeant John Mackie (USS Galena) were the first Marines to be awarded the Medal of Honor. While Mackie was the first Marine nominated to receive the award, Vaughn was the first to physically receive the award.
Vaughn returned home to Pennsylvania after he was discharged, and secured work as a brakeman with a trolley company in Philadelphia. On May 18, 1865, he married Elizabeth A. Getty in Philadelphia. A native of New Jersey, she was a daughter of Andrew and Ann Getty. Their only child, Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Jr., was born in February 1866. On August 22, 1866, Vaughn was severely injured in a trolley car accident and died later that day. He was interred at Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery on August 27.
MOH CITATION:
Serving on board the U.S.S. Mississippi during her abandonment and firing in the action with the Port Hudson batteries, 14 March 1863. During the abandonment of the Mississippi which had to be grounded, Sgt. Vaughn rendered invaluable assistance to his commanding officer, remaining with the ship until all of the crew had landed and the ship had been fired to prevent its falling into enemy hands. Persistent until the last, and conspicuously cool under the heavy shellfire, Sgt. Vaughn was finally ordered to save himself as he saw fit.
BURIAL LOCATION: LAUREL HILL CEMETERY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.
SECTION 16, LOT 412.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
