The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-06
WOMAN SOLDIERS STORY
ROMANTIC ADVENTURES IN tn
CONFEDskA ARMY.
How She Met with Her Fu-u.e Eus-
band While They Were Botl Pris-
oners-A Ring days a Prominent
Part in Their Affair."

4 widowed lady, Mrs. Ella c. Hastings,
whose permanent home is near the pictur
esque old-time village Of Prince Frederick.
the county town of Calvert county, Mary
land. but who is making her summer resi-
dence at a cottage on Arkansas avenue, At
lantic City, was the heroine Of chain of
remarkable episodes in her life from twen-
ty-five to thirty years ago.
Mrs Hastings was born in Norfolk, Va.
in 1915, and was by birth RufIin-of the
same family to which belonged Edmund
| Rutfin, who claimed to have fired the first
gun of the civil war, which was directed
| from q confederate battery in Charleston
| harbor upon the steamship Star Of tho
| West, sent in February, 1861, by
! President Buch9uan's administration with
men and stores for the relief OF Mai
Anderson and his gallant little garrison
then shut up in Fort Moultrie. The Ruffl s
were all enthusiastic in the cause of the
! south, and Ella RufHh, who was Is years of
age at the outbreak of the war. was as in
| tense in her svmpathes rs any member of
| the family. Her Two brothers early enlisted
in the confederate army, and both were
| killed at the battle of Aniietam. Prior to
| that time her father-ber mother was dead
had removed to Richmond from Norfolk
upon tie fall Of the latter city into the
| HAMS Of the union forces. He was
| too much OF an Invalid for active
service in the field, and occupied Il
! clerical position in the confederate navy
! department under Capt. s. S. Lee, brother
| of Gen. Robert +. Lee The news of the
| death of his two sons inflicted a blow on
| Mr.. Rutiin from which he never recovered.
1t so acted on his enfeebJed constitution
that he died three days after ward aud his
daughter was left alone in the world. She
was then II years old, tail and well de-
veloped for her age, filed with patriotic i'm
pulses for the oonfederacy and determined
to do something in it's behalf and in revenge
for the loss of her brothers.
PRIVATE IN THE RANKS.
First cutting Off her long and luxuriast
blonde hair, sine attirsd herself in a suit of
clothes belonging TO one Of her brothers
disguised herself to look as much like a man
as was possible and applied for enlistment
into the ranks of the Fourth Virginia regl-
ment Of infantry. Physical examination
of recruits we're not cuStomary in the south
in those days. and she was readily accepted,
though. as she says, she was In a tremor of
fear while under the eyes of the recruiting
officer, lest her sex should 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 valley of the Blue
Ridge.
This occurred early in October, 1862, and
Miss Ruffin on became accustomed to
the hardships OF war and army life. She
marched and fought along with her COM
radeS and acquired the reputation of good
soldier. She served all through the winter
Of 1S62-'63, took part in the battles of
Fredericksburg and Chancallorsvile with
out receiving a wound and was finally made
prisoner at the battle of Gettysburg. She
was one OF a detachment sent 30 Fort Mo-
Henry, Baltimore, and while there made
the acquaintance of Frederick A. Hastings,
the son OF an honorad Maryland family
living near Prince Frederick, but who had
enlisted in the Twenly-seventh Virginia
regiment, part of Stonewall Jackson's
original brigade, and who had, like her.elf
been captured on the field OF Gettysburg
Hastings had relatives and friends In Bal
timore and he proposed to his young COM
panion that they should attempt TO escape
TO them. Miss Ruffln consented, and on the
night of Aug. 20, 1868, they dropped from
the low barrack windows, slipped by the
guard in the darkness, stole boat from one
of the djacent wharves at Locust Point
and before dawn were in the city. Ere the
sun had rlss they had applied for admis-
sion to the house Of Mr.. Blakeley, a rela>
tive of Hastings. living ON St. Paul street.
and were warmly greeted.
RE GAVE HER RING.
Before escaping from Fort McHenry
Hastings had given Miss Ruffin, who had
enlisted under the name Of Charles Evans
a ring. which was to play an important part
in heIr future careers. 1t was plain. old
fashioned circlet Of gold, with a small emer-
aid set deep in it.
The two refugees remained in the Blaka-
ley house all that day and part of the next
About noon Of the next day Miss RufIia in
49,
rear windows overlooking the yard. The
family residing next door were named
| Huntiug don and we're ardent unionists A
| young son caught a glimpse of Miss Ruffin.
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 Blake!ev resi-
| dence. Col. Fish sent guard to the place
and Miss Ruffin was re-arrested and taken
back to Fort McHenry. 1t did not occur to
the commanding officers to search the house,
and consequently Hastings escaped recapt-
ure. He shortly afterward made his 1yav
in citizens garb into Canada, thence to
Nassau, in the Bahamas, and by blockade
runner back 70 the south by wav of Charles
ton. He rejoined his old regiment, fought
until ne was wounded at the battle of
Ha;cher's Run, IN the closing days Of the
war, and returned to his Maryland home at
the downfall Of the confederacy.
Meanwhile Miss RIilin had been seized
with sickness upon being placed again in
Fort McHenry, and was taken to the most
hospital where her sex was discovered aud
her romantic story revealed. She was at
once released upon her commissioners and
became an inmate Of the Blakeley residence.
| But she was too proud and self-reliant to
remain dependent upon friends. and soon
secured an Independent support as a teacher
In private school.
IDENTIFICATION AND REUNION.
Three years after the conclusion of the
war, Miss Ruthn was paying a visit to
| Washington, and was at the National
theater one night. Seated next TO her was
a gentlemal VIII 2se face seemed strangely
familiar to her, but she could not identify
him. That was no wonder, for Hastings
had grawn beard; and aged ten years in
his features since she had known him in
the confederate service. She noticed that
he frequently glanced curiously at her an 1
seemed on the point Of addressing her, but
the prudence of q well-bred man restrained
him. Presently gentleman with whom
she was acquainted sat down in front Of
them and addressed Hastings by name.
That was sufficient to permit her to iden-
tlfy her old cOmrade of the person and mu-
tual introductious followed. Tho party Of
| four went to restaurant for suprer.
aud at the table Hastings asked Miss Ruff
| fin:
Did you ever know a soldier named
Charles Eva 8, of the Fourth regimentp
"Why do ask!' she said.
| because" he answered, you are wear
! ing the ring gave him when we were