General Joseph Martin Chapter
Cumberland Gap, TN
Cumberland Gap Patriot
Vincent Vaughn
Vincent Vaughn was born in New Kent Va on February 8,
1761. As a child, Vaughn moved with his parents to Halifax Nc located
in Granville county. In 1775, Halifax was a major recruiting center for
the continental army when war broke out between the American colonies
and Britain. Halifax was a major supply house of gun powder and a
small arms factory was built also. In April 1776, Halifax became the
site where the Halifax Resolves, a document declaring Nc independence
from Britain was written.
Vaughn's first duty was to guard the powder House at Halifax. Later
his unit was marched to West Point NY to build a fortification there.
After this Vaughn was sent to the Winter Hill POW camp at Cambridge MA
to guard Hessian prisoners captured at the battle of Saratoga.
After the British defeat of Saratoga in October 1777, over 900
Hessian prisoners were sent to different prison camps in the colonies.
At the Convention of Saratoga, Gates, the American General had promised
to send the British soldiers back to Britain,and the Hessians back to
Germany, but the Continental Congress voted not to send them back.
British ships were not allowed in Boston Harbor to take the British
soldiers back to Britain. Also unknown to the Americans, The German Duke
of Brunswick had decreed that the Hessian soldiers were not allowed
back in to Germany because it might make it harder to recruit soldiers
in Germany for the British wars after the defeat at Saratoga.
On July 21, 1780. Vaughn participated in the battle of Colson mills
Nc which was a small skirmish where the Americans defeated a group of
Tories. On February 27, 1781, Vaughn participated in the battle of Haw
river Nc where Lee and Pickens dressed their men in green jackets
pretending to be British dragoons. Thinking they were British soldiers
they rode into a British camp with ease and killed several British
soldiers in this ruse.
At the battle of Guilford courthouse nc fought on March 15, 1781,
Vaughn was in charge of transporting wounded soldiers to a camp
hospital.
After the battle of Guilford courthouse, Vaughn moved back to Halifax
Nc where he died on November 11, 1837
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