Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Sr.

The Last Marine Aboard a Burning Warship

Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Sr. was a United States Marine Corps sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient whose courageous actions during the American Civil War earned him a distinguished place in Marine Corps history. On March 14, 1863, while serving aboard USS Mississippi during an engagement with Confederate artillery batteries at Port Hudson, Louisiana, Vaughn remained on the grounded warship as its crew abandoned the vessel under heavy enemy fire. He assisted his commanding officer throughout the emergency and stayed aboard until the crew had escaped and the ship was set ablaze to prevent its capture. His extraordinary composure and devotion to duty earned him the Medal of Honor on July 10, 1863.

Vaughn was born in 1839 in Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania, to Matthew and Ann Vaughn. Details of his childhood, education, and early occupation are limited in the surviving historical record.

On October 31, 1860, Vaughn enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His enlistment preceded the outbreak of the American Civil War by several months.

During his military career, Vaughn attained the rank of sergeant and served aboard United States Navy warships, including USS Tennessee and USS Mississippi. His service placed him among the Marine detachments assigned to naval vessels during a period when the Marine Corps provided security, maintained discipline, and contributed to shipboard combat operations.

By March 1863, Vaughn was serving aboard USS Mississippi, a large steam-powered side-wheel frigate assigned to Union naval operations on the Mississippi River. The vessel was commanded by Captain Melancton Smith and formed part of the fleet operating under Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut.

At that stage of the war, Union forces were attempting to gain complete control of the Mississippi River. Confederate defenses at Port Hudson, Louisiana, presented a major obstacle. Together with Vicksburg farther north, Port Hudson allowed Confederate forces to contest Union movement along a strategically important section of the river.

Farragut planned an attempt to pass the Confederate batteries at Port Hudson during the night of March 14, 1863. The operation required Union warships to move along a narrow section of the river while exposed to artillery positioned on the bluffs.

USS Mississippi was among the vessels selected to participate in the attempt. Unlike several other Union warships that proceeded in pairs, Mississippi advanced without another vessel secured alongside her.

As Farragut's fleet approached the Confederate defenses, artillery fire erupted from the shore. Confederate gunners directed heavy fire against the advancing warships, illuminating the river with flashes from their guns.

Mississippi entered the engagement under dangerous conditions. Smoke, darkness, the river's current, and continuous artillery fire complicated the movements of the attacking vessels.

During the attempt to pass the batteries, Mississippi ran aground. Captain Smith and his officers attempted to free the warship, but the vessel remained firmly stranded within range of Confederate guns.

Its position exposed the crew to a particularly dangerous situation. Unable to maneuver away from enemy fire, Mississippi became a stationary target as Confederate shells struck the ship.

Captain Smith eventually determined that the vessel could not be saved. To prevent the Confederates from capturing the warship and its military equipment, he ordered its abandonment and destruction.

The evacuation had to be carried out while enemy artillery continued firing.

Sergeant Pinkerton Ross Vaughn played a distinguished role in this emergency. According to his official Medal of Honor citation, he rendered invaluable assistance to his commanding officer during the abandonment of Mississippi.

Rather than leaving the ship immediately, Vaughn remained aboard while the crew made its way to safety. He continued performing his duties as the vessel was prepared for destruction.

The citation specifically records that Vaughn stayed until the crew had landed and the ship had been set on fire to prevent its capture.

His persistence was remarkable because Mississippi remained exposed to heavy shellfire throughout the evacuation. The stranded vessel offered little protection from the Confederate batteries, and the danger continued as preparations were made to destroy it.

Vaughn maintained his composure under these conditions. His official citation praised his coolness and determination while carrying out his responsibilities.

Only after the evacuation and destruction arrangements had been completed was Vaughn finally ordered to save himself.

He survived the abandonment of USS Mississippi.

As flames spread through the warship, Mississippi eventually floated free of the riverbed and drifted downstream. The burning vessel was subsequently destroyed when fire reached its ammunition magazine.

Although Farragut's attempt to pass the Port Hudson batteries achieved only limited success, the engagement became a significant episode in the naval campaign for control of the Mississippi River.

For Vaughn, the loss of Mississippi became the defining event of his military career. His conduct demonstrated exceptional discipline and courage during the destruction of his own ship, when the demands of duty required him to remain in danger while others escaped.

On July 10, 1863, Vaughn was awarded the Medal of Honor under Navy General Order No. 17.

The decoration recognized his courage and extraordinary assistance during the abandonment and burning of USS Mississippi on March 14, 1863.

Vaughn was among the first two United States Marines to receive the Medal of Honor, alongside Sergeant John Freeman Mackie, whose recognized act of bravery occurred aboard USS Galena in May 1862.

The distinction placed Vaughn among the earliest Marine Corps recipients of the nation's highest military decoration.

Following his Medal of Honor action, Vaughn continued serving in the Marine Corps. He eventually received an honorable discharge at Philadelphia on November 7, 1864, ending approximately four years of military service.

After returning to civilian life in Pennsylvania, Vaughn found employment as a railroad brakeman in the Philadelphia area.

On May 18, 1865, he married Elizabeth A. Getty in Philadelphia. Their son, Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Jr., was born in February 1866.

His return to civilian life, however, was tragically brief.

On August 22, 1866, Vaughn suffered a fatal accident while working on the railroad. A contemporary newspaper account reported that he was serving as a brakeman aboard an eastbound Pennsylvania Railroad stock train when he was struck on the head by an overhead bridge near City Avenue in Philadelphia.

The injuries proved fatal, and he died shortly after the accident.

Vaughn's death came only two years after his discharge from the Marine Corps and a little more than three years after his extraordinary service at Port Hudson. He left behind his wife and young son.

He was buried on August 27, 1866, at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Although his life ended at a young age, Vaughn's Medal of Honor preserved the record of his remarkable courage. His actions aboard USS Mississippi demonstrated the responsibilities carried by Marines serving at sea during the Civil War and the dangers they faced alongside Navy personnel.

Pinkerton Ross Vaughn Sr. is remembered for remaining aboard a doomed warship under heavy Confederate artillery fire, assisting his commanding officer until the evacuation was complete, and leaving only when ordered to save himself. His steadfast conduct at Port Hudson on March 14, 1863, earned him the Medal of Honor and secured his place among the pioneering heroes of the United States Marine Corps.