(Seguin) — A unique chapter of Guadalupe County history — and the story of one Seguin man who fought for the Union despite coming from a family overwhelmingly aligned with the Confederacy — will be shared tonight at the Seguin Heritage Museum.
J. Wayne Stewart, a descendant of Capt. Francis Asbury Vaughan, will join his co-author Richard B. McCaslin, the Texas State Historian and a professor of Texas history at the University of North Texas, for a presentation and book signing centered on their book, Texan in Blue: Captain Francis Asbury Vaughan of the First Texas Cavalry, U.S.A.
The event is scheduled today from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Seguin Heritage Museum. The free event will include a historical presentation and book signing.
Stewart says the story is about his great-great-grandfather, Vaughan, who found himself in the Civil War. Although Texas was a Confederate state, he says his ancestor traveled from Central Texas through Mexico and eventually to New Orleans, where he enlisted to fight for the Union.
“Texas was a Confederate state, so fighting for the Union was pretty unique,” said Stewart. “One of the research items that really popped out was that 22 of his family members — brothers, cousins and others — fought in the Civil War. Twenty-one of them fought on the side of the Confederacy, and he was the only one of that family who fought for the Union.”
Stewart first published a book on Vaughan about five years ago. Following a presentation on the subject, he says he was approached by McCaslin about collaborating on a more deeply researched account of Vaughan’s life. That book was published late last year.
“My family kept really good records of the family history, and I was able to reconstruct his travels. He left behind a diary of his service, which I have,” said Stewart. “What we’re doing Tuesday is a presentation of his life before, during and after the Civil War, and it also kind of hits his impact on the city of Seguin.”
The presentation will also explore his family’s connections to Seguin.
“Seguin is deep in history — rich history that goes all the way back to its founding before the Civil War — and it has been the home of many very influential people,” said Stewart. “I reach out during the presentation to talk about more than just my family, but also some of the events that occurred in Seguin’s history that have been very meaningful. There’s a lot of history there that would be attractive for anybody who lives in our community.”
The event is free and open to the public.
The Seguin Heritage Museum is located at 114 N. River St.