The Avoyelles pelican. [volume] (Marksville [La.]) 1859-186?, 1861-12-14
lHE AV0YGLLES PELICAN '!::
r. #f f"99 Aer 1AE
MKs w. r
RUFTIN GRAY.

III
This noble Young soldier was the se~
cond son Of our fellow citizen, the Hon.
A. NJ. Gray. He was born in the pa
rihh of Point Coupee, on Sunday tthe
slrst day August A D. 1912 suDse-
quentlx upzed to this parish
where he q Ats. Ruiin was sent
to the Maj EiM High School soon af-
ter it wal established and remained
there ardudt dtlsly pursuing his studies un-
der the superv1 lon of Prof. A. Lafargue.
Whilst he. rel lined in this institutions
he was know and respected as one of
the most e'o plary boys that ever
cheered the he ! Of a parept. His tea
chers admire Fhim for his dociIitv and
gentleness,. Whilst his comrades loved
him for his proverbial ainability and
gentlemanly depnrt'nent He was pos
sessed Of a fine, mind and, had he been
permitted toireaci nlarurer years would
have shown hsmself capable of great 'use-
fulness in the civil walks of life, as he
proved patliptic in the army of the Con
federaey.
During thb year of 1860 he became a
cadet in the eoFilitary Academy at Alex
andria, and while there displayed the
same qualities of the head and heart, as
had distinguished him at the Marks
vile High School AT the end of the
year he returned home having acquired
a considerable knowledge of military
In the lh Of a few months war
broke out letween the remnant
Of the Uns States aud the South
-ern Confed y. Ruffin had COM
pleted his q #nth year and felt that
his country ed his services. When
Capt. l.. Fafford OF Rapides was
making VI company, Rufin baae
adleu to hi nd set out for the seat
OF war. l st night this noble boy
spent at b he sat up until very
late assist is 81 Fter in making a
small flag f ind1 1vidual use. On it's
little folds Inscribed these words
Co'iiS Hil VII HIS way ~ e!llSt,
he was sucq Jul in getting two recruits
to join him! e WEI lt on Immediately
to Virginia ~ n he remained in active
service until Enittel by the ruthless
hand of disease and cath.
The f~fHing is Capt. StaHord's let
ter to his father
Mou,sS,c Y Nov oSth 1891
Hon. A. NJ CRAY,
Dear sir----It is my painful duty to
inform you of the death of your noble
son Ruffin. He died yesterday morning
about 10 o'clock very suddenly. He had
been complaining for some time of
little fever..-kut was most all the time
knocking about tie camps and taking
a little medicine. The day before he
died, he repomed himsef for duty and
superintended the hauling of wood for
our camp. He was perhaps imprudent
that day and night and ate too much.
He was taken i'll in the nisht again,
and next morning Nas standing by the
fire getting one of his mess-mates to make
him some tea; complaining of being
chilly, aud said he had had chill in
the nj ght. wien he was taken suddenly
i'll was Immediately taken to his tent
and died in ten minutes. When I re-
turned from Court Martial | found my
noble boy a corpse. [ was too much
to describe my feelings. He
was a true specimen of the chivaIric and
brave youths Of the South. [ would to
God +! | had consolation to offer you and
your family. | can on] y say he died
in a noble cause on the tented field rea-
dy and anxious to fight for his country.
Noble boy i! if he had ally faults I never
discovered them. All the company To-
we'd and respected him. He was buried
this moni g with the honors of war, on
a beautiful high hill where l buried two
others of my company. They have been
taken home since. His name is roughly
cut on rock which is at his head. He
lies buried about three and half miles
from Manassas at a NJ John Wells. I
must conclude BY offering you my heart
felt sympathy at your irreparable loss.
Your sincere friend,
L. A. STAFFORD.
p. S. We are expecting fight every
day and shoa get in an engagement /
rest assures dear friend, [ viii re-
,sess ,ssss, u d;a'. !: !; :: .'.''..