According to his obituary, Vaughn was born in
Virginia and moved to
Canton, Missouri. He was recruited into the Confederate
Missouri State Guard by
Martin E. Green, brother of
U.S. Senator James S. Green. Green, while camping at
Tupelo, Mississippi, dispatched Vaughn to deliver letters to his wife in Canton. Vaughn was captured six miles south of Canton at
La Grange, Missouri. The letters were found, and Vaughn was accused of being a spy and was sentenced to be shot. Missouri Senator
John B. Henderson intervened with Lincoln to get a new trial, but the verdict was the same. Henderson got Lincoln to approve yet a third trial and again the verdict was the same. On the afternoon of April 14, 1865, Henderson appealed once more to the president, telling him, "Mr. Lincoln, this pardon should be granted in the interest of peace and conciliation." Lincoln is said to have replied, "Senator, I agree with you. Go to Stanton and tell him this man must be released." Henderson went to the office of Secretary of War
Edwin Stanton. Stanton refused, saying the execution was to be carried out in two days. Henderson returned to the
White House, where he met the president dressed to go to
Ford's Theatre. Lincoln wrote a message on official stationery—an order for an unconditional release and pardon—allegedly telling Henderson, "I think that will have precedence over Stanton." After the war, Vaughn moved to
Maryville, Missouri, where he died in 1899. ==References==