Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-10-31
A GIRL SOLDIER.

\ widowed lady, Mrs. Ella C. Hast
ings, whose home Is. near the pictu-
rescue old-time village of Prince
Frederick, the county town of Calvert
county, Md, was the heroine OF
chain of remarkable episodes in her
life from twenty-five to thirty years
ago.
Mrs. Hastings was born in Norfolk,
Va. in 1915. and was BY birth a
Ruffin-of the same family to which
belonged Edmund Ruffin. who claimed
to have fred the first gun Of the civil
war; which was directed from a con-
federate 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 garri-
son, then shut up in Fort AIoultrfe.
The Rutiins were all enthusiastic in
the cause of the South. and Ella
Rufin, who was Is 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
Captain 5. s. Lee a brother Of Gen
craI Robert L. Lee. The news OF the
death Of his two sons inflicted blow
on Mr.. Rufin from which no never
recovered. 1t so acted on his en-
foebled constitution that he died three
years aiterward and his daughter was
left alone ia the world. She was then
Il years old. tall and well developed
for her age, filled with patriotic i'm
pulses for the confederacy and deter
mined to do something in its behalf
and in revenge fer the loss OF her
brothers.
First cutting off her long and luxur-
liant blonde hair she attired herself in
a suit OF clothes belonging TO one of
her brothers, disguised herself to look
as much like man as was possible
and applied for enlistment into the
ranks Of the Fourth Virginia regiment
OF infantry. Physical examination OF
recruits was not customary in the
South in those DAYS, and she was
readily accepted though, as she SAYS,
she was in tremor OF fear while
under the eyes OF the recruiting officer,
lest her sex should be detected. But
she passed the ordeal safely and in a
day or two was sent off to Join her regi-
ment, then in Lees army and encamp-
cd near Smokers Gap, in the valley Of
the Blue Ridge
This occurred early in October, 1862.
and Miss Ruffin soon became accus-
toned to the hardships OF war and
army life. She marched and fought
along with her comrades and acquired
the reputation Of good soldier. She
served all through the winter OF 1852
CD, took part in the battles Of Fred
cricksburg and Charlottesville with
out receiving a wound. and was finally
made prisoner ut the battle Of Gettys-
burg. She was one of detachment
sent to Fort McHenry Baltimore. aad
while there made the acquaintance Of
Frederick A. Hastings. the son of an
honored Maryland family living near
Prince Frederick. but who had enlisted
in the Twenty-seventh Virginia regi-
ment part of Stoncwall 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 at
tempt to escape TO them. Miss Rufin
consented, and on the night OF August
90 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 hal
applied for admission to the house OF a
Mr. Blakeley, a relative OF Hastings.
living on St Paul street, and were
warmly greeted
Before escaping from Fort McIIenry
Hastings had given Miss Ruffin. who
had enlisted under the name of Charles
Evans, ring, which was to play an
important part in their future careers.
1t was a plain, old-fashioned circlet Of
gold, with a 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 Ruffin incautiously exposed
herself at one of the rear windows
overlooking the yard. The family re-
siding next door were named Hunting
don and were ardent unionists. a
young sor caught glimpse Of Miss