Posted by Jim Huffman, Sons of Confederate Veterans on March 20, 2001 at 23:21:06:
In Reply to: United Confederate Veterans rank posted by Bill Allen on March 20, 2001 at 02:36:35:
Bill:
I'm largely conjecturing here, so please forgive me!
I've searched my sources for a MS Major Vaughan, but have come up dry.
Your Major Vaughan may have served with a unit from amother state. (Perhaps one of my fellow researchers with access to overall (as opposed to MS-specific) Confederate indices can help you out with a look-up here.)
As to UCV rank, I don't think the actual UCV came into existence until around 1892. Prior to that time (and I am on the aforementioned thin ice here!), there were a number of regional Confederate Veterans organizations, such as the (and I'm guessing at the titles here, too, though I've seen them in the past!) "Veterans of the Army of Tennessee."
Accordingly, I don't think that the title "Major" was an honorary one from the UCV as early as 1871. I think your major was most likely to have been a true major, i.e., a soldier with the genuine rank of major from the Provisional Army of the Confederate States.
Wish I could offer more! -- Jim H.