CSA Bios: Villepigue, Vaughn and Vaughan
Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:13 pm
Brig. Gen. John B. Villepigue, CSA (b. 1830 d. 1862) Who knows what would have happened if John Bordenave Villepigue had not died of “fever” in Port Hudson, La., Nov. 9, 1862. Villepigue was on the way up the Confederate command structure when he died at the age of 32. He was born of French descent in Camden, S.C., July 2, 1830, and made the military his life. He was an 1854 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West point and was assigned to the Second Dragoons in Kansas, Nebraska and Utah. Leaving the U.S. Army March 31, 1861, he joined the Regular Confederate Army as an artillery captain. He quickly moved to the 36th Georgia Infantry, Provisional Confederate Army, as that unit’s colonel. He was seriously wounded while commanding Fort McRae in Pensacola Harbor. He commanded in Pensacola, Fla., and Mobile, Ala., before being ordered to Braxton Bragg’s army in Corinth, Miss. He served for a time as chief of engineers and artillery on Bragg’s staff and was made brigadier general March 13, 1862. General Beauregard deemed him “the most energetic young officer available.” He was assigned to command Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River, where he frustrated Federal land and river forces. When ordered to retire, he blew up the fortifications and evacuated his men. Assigned to command a brigade under Gen. Van Dorn at Corinth, he again earned praise from his superiors. However, he died as his star was still ascending within the Confederate command.
Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn, CSA (b. 1824 d. 1875) Born in Roane County, Tenn., Feb. 24, 1824, John Crawford Vaughn was a captain in the Fifth Tennessee Infantry in the Mexican War. He was a merchant after the war. He happened to be in Charleston, S.C., in April 1861 and was a witness to the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He hurried back to Tennessee to recruit a regiment for Confederate service in an area that was a stronghold of Union sentiment. He mustered into Confederate service as the colonel of the Third Tennessee Infantry in Lynchburg, Va., June 6, 1861, and was sent to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in Harpers Ferry. The next month, he participated at First Manassas. His promotion to brigadier general came Sept. 22, 1862. His brigade fought in the Vicksburg Campaign and surrendered July 4, 1863. Exchanged, he commanded a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah. He was in the Battle of Piedmont and Early’s march on Washington. He was wounded near Martinsburg, W.V. After his recovery, he was assigned a command in eastern Tennessee. After Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender, Vaughn took his forces to join with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. His brigade helped to escort President Jefferson Davis during his escape south. Vaughn was paroled at Washington, Ga., May 9, 1865. Following the war, the resided both in Georgia and Tennessee. He was the presiding officer of the Tennessee Senate for one term. He died near Thomasville, Ga., Sept. 10, 1875.
Brig. Gen. Alfred J. Vaughan Jr., CSA (b. 1830 d. 1899) Born in Dinwiddie County, Va., May 10, 1830, Alfred Jefferson Vaughan, Jr. was an 1851 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He was a civil engineer and deputy U.S. surveyor in Southern California. Later, he served as secretary to Alfred Cumming of Georgia (uncle of the Confederate general of the same name), who was engaged in negotiating a treaty on behalf of the Northern Pacific Railroad with Indians on the upper Missouri River. Vaughan settled on a farm in Marshall County, Miss., in 1856. He recruited a company in Mississippi, but was unable to secure arms for that unit. He joined Confederate service as a captain of the Moscow, Tenn., Dixie Rifles. He was elected lieutenant colonel of the 13th Tennessee Infantry and later was named colonel. Fighting under generals Leonidas Polk, A.S. Johnston, Braxton Bragg and Joseph E. Johnston, Vaughan participated, without a scratch, in nearly every western action from Belmont to Vining Station, Ga. At the latter battle, during the Atlanta Campaign, Vaughan’s luck ran out and he was struck with a shell, which blew off a leg. When he was wounded, he was a brigadier general, reaching that rank Nov. 18, 1863. He was commanding the brigade formerly led by Gen. Preston Smith. After the war, he went back to Mississippi and farmed there until 1872. Becoming active in the Grange movement, Vaughan moved to Memphis, Tenn., and was elected clerk of the Shelby County criminal court. He won re-election in 1882. He was commander of the Tennessee Division, United Confederate Veterans, from 1897. He died in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 1, 1899.
Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn, CSA (b. 1824 d. 1875) Born in Roane County, Tenn., Feb. 24, 1824, John Crawford Vaughn was a captain in the Fifth Tennessee Infantry in the Mexican War. He was a merchant after the war. He happened to be in Charleston, S.C., in April 1861 and was a witness to the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He hurried back to Tennessee to recruit a regiment for Confederate service in an area that was a stronghold of Union sentiment. He mustered into Confederate service as the colonel of the Third Tennessee Infantry in Lynchburg, Va., June 6, 1861, and was sent to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in Harpers Ferry. The next month, he participated at First Manassas. His promotion to brigadier general came Sept. 22, 1862. His brigade fought in the Vicksburg Campaign and surrendered July 4, 1863. Exchanged, he commanded a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah. He was in the Battle of Piedmont and Early’s march on Washington. He was wounded near Martinsburg, W.V. After his recovery, he was assigned a command in eastern Tennessee. After Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender, Vaughn took his forces to join with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. His brigade helped to escort President Jefferson Davis during his escape south. Vaughn was paroled at Washington, Ga., May 9, 1865. Following the war, the resided both in Georgia and Tennessee. He was the presiding officer of the Tennessee Senate for one term. He died near Thomasville, Ga., Sept. 10, 1875.
Brig. Gen. Alfred J. Vaughan Jr., CSA (b. 1830 d. 1899) Born in Dinwiddie County, Va., May 10, 1830, Alfred Jefferson Vaughan, Jr. was an 1851 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He was a civil engineer and deputy U.S. surveyor in Southern California. Later, he served as secretary to Alfred Cumming of Georgia (uncle of the Confederate general of the same name), who was engaged in negotiating a treaty on behalf of the Northern Pacific Railroad with Indians on the upper Missouri River. Vaughan settled on a farm in Marshall County, Miss., in 1856. He recruited a company in Mississippi, but was unable to secure arms for that unit. He joined Confederate service as a captain of the Moscow, Tenn., Dixie Rifles. He was elected lieutenant colonel of the 13th Tennessee Infantry and later was named colonel. Fighting under generals Leonidas Polk, A.S. Johnston, Braxton Bragg and Joseph E. Johnston, Vaughan participated, without a scratch, in nearly every western action from Belmont to Vining Station, Ga. At the latter battle, during the Atlanta Campaign, Vaughan’s luck ran out and he was struck with a shell, which blew off a leg. When he was wounded, he was a brigadier general, reaching that rank Nov. 18, 1863. He was commanding the brigade formerly led by Gen. Preston Smith. After the war, he went back to Mississippi and farmed there until 1872. Becoming active in the Grange movement, Vaughan moved to Memphis, Tenn., and was elected clerk of the Shelby County criminal court. He won re-election in 1882. He was commander of the Tennessee Division, United Confederate Veterans, from 1897. He died in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 1, 1899.