Newton's Civil War Soldiers

Happy New year!  In honor of this year's planned re-dedication of the Newton Civil War Soldiers' Monument in Newton Cemetery (Walnut Street) on May 18th, 2014, brief biographies of the 61 men whose names appear on the monument will be posted here on the dates of their deaths during the war. 

The Soldiers' Monument was erected in 1864, and is one of the first Civil War monuments built in New England before the war ended.  Below is the first of the bios, for Michael Vaughn, who died on January 4th, 1862:

Michael Vaughn, aged 21, a machinist from Upper Falls, enlisted as a Private in the Union Army on August 24, 1861.  Michael enlisted the same day as Thomas Duran, 18, also of Upper Falls, and who appears on the monument with him.  Both served as infantrymen in the Mass. 18th Regiment, Co. F.
 
On August 30, the 18th mustered out and camped just outside of the Capital near Fort Corchoran, Va. On September 26th the 18th was moved to the front and camped near Hall’s Hill, VA, which served as the Union outpost.  The 18th joined other regiments here for drills and picket duty over the winter.  Michael was discharged from this camp with a disability on December 24, 1861, and died on January 4, 1862 in Washington D.C. 

Michael Vaughn is buried in Holyhood Cemetery in Chestnut Hill, MA.  The headstone inscription reads: “In Memory of Vaughn who died Jan. 4, 1862.  Erected by his mother Elizabeth Maloney.”  Thomas Duran died two years later, in 1862.  Neither Michael nor his mother appear in local directories or census records prior to enlistment, which is unusual for Newton residents who enlist.  A possible explanation is that Michael may have been a recent immigrant or lived elsewhere and enlisted in Newton.  All information learned about Michael was from his military file. 

Michael Vaughn was one of the first from Newton to die in the Civil War conflict and his name appears alphabetically on the Soldiers’ Monument in Newton Cemetery.  His name was on the monument when it was dedicated in July 1864.

If anyone reading this can provide more information on Michael Vaughn or his family, we're all ears!