The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-10-03
A GIRL SOLDIER.

n WluoWou iuuy, niro' ELI u ". I1uSu-
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 O
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 q
Ruiiin-of the Same family to which
belonged Edmund Ruffin. who claimed
to have fired the first gun Of tho civil
war. which was directed from a con-
tolerate battery In Charleston harbor
upon tho steamship Star OF the West,
sent in February, 1851, by President
Buchanan's administration, with men
and stores for tho relief OF Major
Anderson and his gallant little garri-
son. then shut up in Fort Moultrie.
= The Rufiins were all enthusiastic in
tho cause OF the South and Ella
Ruffin. who was Is years OF ago mt the
outbreak OF the war. was as intense
In her sympathics as any member of
the family. Her two brothers early
enlisted in tho confederate army and
both were killed ut the battle OF
Antietam.
Prior to that timo her father-he-
mother was dead--had removed to
Richmond from Norfolk upon tho fall
OF the latter city into tho hands OF tho
union forces. He was too much OF an
invalid for active service in the field,
and occupied clerical position in the
confederate navy department under
Captain S. S. Lee, brother of Gen.
oral Robert Z. Lee. Tho news OF the
death OF his two sons inflicted blow
on Mr.. Rufiin from which he never
recovered. 1t so acted on his on
feebled constitution that no died three
years afterward and his daughter was
left alone in tho world. She was then
IL years old. tall and we'll developed
for her age. filed with patriotic i'm
pulses for the confederacy and deter
mined to do something in its behalf
and in revenge for the loss OF her
brothers.
First cutting off her long and luxur-
liant blonde hair sho attired herself in
n suit OK 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 regiment
OF infantry. Physical examination OF
recruits was not customary in the
South in those GAYS. and sho 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 be detected. But
The passed tho ordeal safely. and in q
day or two was sent of to join her regi-
ment thcn In Lees army and encamp-
cd near Smokers Gap. in the valley OF
the Blue Ridge.
This occurred early In October, 1862.
and Miss Ruin soon became accus-
toned to the hardships OF war nnd
army life. She marched and fought
along with her comrades and acquired
The reputation Of good soldier. She
served all through tho winter OF 1862
g. took part in the battles OF Fred
cricksburg and Charlottesville with
out receiving q wound and was finally
made q prisoner at the baltic OF Gettys-
burg. She was one OF detachment
sent to Fort McHenry. Baltimore, and
while there mado tho acquaintance OF
Frederick A. Hastings. tho son Of On
houored Maryland family living near
Prince Frederick but who had enlisted
in the Twenty-seventh Virginia rcgi-
ment, part Of Stonewall Jackson's
original brigade and who had. like
herself, been captured on the field OF
Gettysburg.
Ratings had relatives and friends
in Baltimore and he proposed TO his
young companion that they should at
tempt to escape TO them. Miss Rutiin
consented, and on tho night OF August
20. 1868, they dropped from the low
barrack windows, slipped by tho guard
in tho darkness, stole boat from one
Of the adjacent wharves at Locust
Point and before dawn wore in the
city. Ere the sun had risen they had
applied for admission TO the house OF O
Mr.. Blakeley. q relative OF Hastings,
living on st. Paul street and were
warmly greeted.
Before escaping from Fort McHcnry
Hastings had given Miss Ruff1n. who
had enlisted under the name OF Charles
Evans q ring, which was to play an
important part in their future careers.
1t was a plain. old-fashioned circlet OF
gold, with small emerald set deep In
II.
The two refugees remained in the
Blakcley house nll that day and part
OF the next About noon OF tho next
day Miss Ruffin incautlously exposed
herself at one OF the rear windows
overlooking the yard. The family re-
siding next door wero named Hunting
don and wore ardent unionists. A
young son caught glimpse Of Miss