The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-11-14
Cur Oliu.
SHE FOUGHT IN THE WAR.

Virginia Girls Adventure in the Confed-
crate Service-Twice Captured by Federals
Her Escape From Fort McHenry and
Rearrest in Baltimore-Met Her Future
Husband While They We're Both Prison
ers-Reunited, &c.
The Philadelphia Press says: ga
widowed lady, Mrs. Ella G. Hastings,
whose permanent home is near the pictur
esque old time village of Prince Frederick,
the county town of Calvert county, Md, but
who is making her summer residence at
cottage on Arkansas avenue, Atlantic
City, was the heroine of chain of remark
able episodes in her life from 25 to 80
years ago.
Mrs Hastings was born in Norfolk,
Va, in 1945, and was by birth a Rufin-
of the same family to which belonged
Edmund Ruffin, who claimed to have fired
the first gun of the civil war, which was
directed from a Confederate battery in
Charleston Harbor upon the steamship
Star of the West, sent in February, 1861,
by President Buchanan's administration
with men and stores for the relief of
Major Anderson and his gallant little gar
rison, then shut up in Fort Moultrie.
The Ruffins were all enthusiastic in the
cause of the South, and Ella Rufin, who
was 15 years of age at the outbreak of the
war, was as intense in her sympathies as
any member of the family.
Her two brothers early enlisted in the
Confederate army, and both were killed at
the battle of Antietam. Prior to that
time her father-her mother was dead
had removed to Richmond from Norfolk
upon the fall of the latter city into the hands
of the Union forces. He was too much of
an invalid for active service in the field,
and occupied a clerical position in the
Confederate navy department under Capt.
S. S. Lee, relative of Gen. Robert +.
Lee The news of the death of his two
sons inflicted blow on Mr. Rufin from
which he never recovered. 1t SO acted on
his enfeebled constitution that he died
three days afterwards, and his daughter
was left alone in the world. She was then
II years old, tall and well developed for
her age, filled with patriotic impulses for
the Confederacy and determined to do
something in its behalf and in revenge for
the loss of her brothers.
First cutting off her long and luxuriant
blond hair, she attired herself in suit of
clothes belonging to one of her brothers,
disguised herself to look as much like a
man as was possible, applied for enlistment
in the ranks of the Fourth Virginia Regi-
ment of infantry. Physical examination
of recruits was not customary in the South
in those days, and she was readily accept
ed, though, as she says, she was in ire
NOR of fear while under the eyes of the
recruiting officer, lest her sex should be
detected. But she passed the ordeal
safely, and in day or two was sent off to
join her regiment, then in Lees army and
encamped near Smokers Gap, in the Val
ley of the Blue Ridge.
This occurred early in October, 1862,
and Miss Rufin soon became accustomed
to the hardships of war and army life.
She marched and fought along with her
comrades and acquired the reputation of a
good soldier. She served all through the
winter of 1862 -'63, took part in the battles
of Fredericksburg and Charlottesville
without receiving wound, and was finally
made prisoner at the battle of Gettys-
burg She was one of detachment sent
to Fort MeHenry, Baltimore, and while
there made the acquaintance of Frederick
A. Hastings, the son of an honored Mary
land family living near Prince Frederick,
but who had enlisted in the Twenty
Seventh Virginia Regiment, part Of
Stonewall Jackson's original brigade, and
who had, like herself been captured on the
field of Gettysburg.
Hastings had relatives and friends in
Baltimore, and he proposed to his young
companion that they should attempt to
escape to them. Miss Ruffin consented,
aud on the night of August 20, 1868,
they dropped from the low barrack windows,
slipped by the guard in the darkness, stole
boat from one of the adjacent wharves at
Locust Point, and before dawn were in the
city. Ere the sun had risen they had ap-
piled for admission to the house of Mr..
Blakeley, a relative of Hastings, living on
st. Paul street and were warmly greeted
Before escaping from Fort McHenry,
Hastings had given Miss Rufin, who had
enlisted under the name of Charles Evans,
ring, which was to play an important
part in their future career 1t was plain,
old fashioned circlet of gold, with small
emerald set deep in it.
The two refugees remained in the
Blakeley house all that day and part of the
next. About noon of the next day Miss
Rufin incautiously exposed herself at one
of the rear windows overlooking the yard
The family residing next door were named
Huntingdon and were ardent Unionists.
A young son caught glimpse of Miss
Rufin, who was still in gray uniform, and
promptly informed his father, who soon
reported to Col. Fish, the provost marshal,
that rebel soldier was concealed in the
Blakeley residence.
Col. Fish sent guard to the place, aud
MieO Ruf6D xpoo ra arraotad on1 tol-o,