Sworn statement by Samuel Gibson Vaughan authenticating a Civil War firearm carried by his father Joseph Gibson Vaughan as a member of Quantrill's guerrillas. Found on GunsInternational.com (watermark visible).
Transcription
I, Samuel Gibson Vaughan, do hereby swear that this gun Serial No. [unclear] belonged to my grandfather and was carried by my father, Joseph Gibson Vaughan (born August 5, 1839) who was one of the first eight men to join Quantrell (1861) and one of the last eight to die (died April 20, 1918). He fought with Quantrell from 1861 to 1865 when Quantrell was mortally wounded in the Battle of Wakefield Farm.
The major battles he participated in were as follows:
- Fight at Independence (February 1862)
- Second Fight of Independence (Summer 1862)
- Fight at Bale House (January 1862)
- Fight at Clark's Camp (April) 1862
- Slaughter Pen (April 1862)
- [partial: Lae/Lee] House Fight (May 1862)
- Capture of Independence (August 1862)
- Lone Jack Fight (August 1862)
- March South (October 1862)
- [partial: Fern Burnt] 1863
- Lawrence Massacre (August 1863)
- [partial: Mine Creek / The Spring Fight] (October 1863)
- The Grinter Fight (1863)
- Centralia Massacre (September 1864)
- Little Blue (1864)
- [partial: Second/Arsenal] Fight (Spring 1864)
- Fire Prairie Prairie Fight (Spring 1864)
- Going South (Fall 1864)
- Battle of Wakefield Farm (June 1865)
These and many skirmishes too numerous to name or remember. It is further known that in history the name Vaughan has been spelled as Vaughn, leaving out the A and that Dan was a nickname, the scabbard having been taken off a Union Soldier.
Please here is my signature
Samuel Gibson Vaughan S G Vaughan
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 22 day of [partial: April] 1965
[Notary Public stamp/signature]
Page 261 in the Book "A True Story of Wm. Q. Quantrell and His Guerrilla Band" by J. P. Burch
"Quantrell differed in some degree from every Guerrilla who was either a comrade or his contemporary. Not excepting Todd in courage and enterprise, nor to Kellum, [partial: Yeader], Jarrette, Younger, Taylor, Anderson, Frank James, Gregg, Lee, Maddox, Dan Vaughn or Poole, he yet had a bundled quality which none of these men [partial: shared]. Gregg, Frank James, Thrailkill, Lee and Younger belonged to the same pre-eminent degree, adventurous, courageous and amazing. A successful leader requires coolness, integrity, robust health, fine horsemanship, expert pistol practice, quick perception of danger, rapidity of movement, [partial: daredevil audacity] and extraordinary firmness of purpose. These combined existed in these qualities, but at times they were too eager to fight, took too many desperate chances, or rushed too recklessly into assaults where they could not win."
Extracted Facts
| Fact | Value | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Author of letter | Samuel Gibson Vaughan | High |
| Father of Samuel | Joseph Gibson Vaughan | High |
| Gun originally belonged to | Samuel's grandfather (George Albert Vaughan) | High |
| Joseph born | August 5, 1839 | High |
| Joseph died | April 20, 1918 | High (conflicts with FaG: April 24) |
| Joseph joined Quantrill | 1861, one of first eight men | High |
| Joseph's nickname | "Dan" (as in "Dan Vaughn") | High |
| Spelling note | "Vaughan" sometimes spelled "Vaughn" in records | High |
| Service period | 1861-1865 | High |
| Named battles | 19 engagements listed | High |
| Lawrence Massacre participation | August 1863 | High |
| Centralia Massacre participation | September 1864 | High |
| Gun scabbard source | Taken off a Union soldier | High |
| Affidavit date | 22 April 1965 | Moderate |
| Book citation | "A True Story of Wm. Q. Quantrell and His Guerrilla Band" by J. P. Burch, p. 261 | High |
Notes
- Document appears to be a scan of a typed affidavit, notarized, with Samuel's handwritten signature.
- Watermark from GunsInternational.com indicates this was posted as provenance for a firearm sale listing.
- The Burch book excerpt at the bottom lists "Dan Vaughn" alongside Frank James, Cole Younger, Bill Anderson, and other famous Quantrill guerrillas, placing Joseph Gibson Vaughan among the most notable members of the band.
- Death date discrepancy: this affidavit says April 20, 1918; Find a Grave #88078489 says April 24, 1918. Samuel (as Joseph's son) is a strong source, but the affidavit was written 47 years after the event.
- The gun belonging to Samuel's "grandfather" (George Albert Vaughan, 1812-1889) suggests George Albert may have had military service or at minimum owned firearms during the antebellum period. George Albert was from Virginia and would have been of age during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).
- Joseph participated in the Lawrence Massacre (21 Aug 1863), where approximately 150 civilian men and boys were killed. He also participated in the Centralia Massacre (27 Sep 1864), where unarmed Union soldiers were executed. These are among the most notorious events of the Missouri-Kansas border war.
- The Battle of Wakefield Farm (June 1865) is where Quantrill was mortally wounded, marking the end of the guerrilla campaign.