The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-04-22
WAR STORIES.
Startling Career Of the Girl Who Fired First
Shot in the Civil War.

May, 1888, was born the child that
was destined to figure SO strangely in
history.
The czarina claimed the privilege
Of being godmothcr to the infant.
When the day came for the christcn-
ing all the grandeur Of the Russian
court was brought into play. Invita-
tons were sent to the representatives
OF all the foreign nations. The COM
pany was the most illustrious that
ever assembled for similar purpose
in the history of the world.
when the officiating dignitary Of the
Church asked the czarina, "What
shall be the name Of this child?" she
replied:
Her name shall be Douschka.
"The English for Douschka is
sweet little darling But, as is the
Russian custom, several additional
names were given the child, and she
was christened in full Douschka Olga
Neva Francisco Eugenie Dorothy
Pickcns. The first of the series of
names was the one by which she was
ever known.
During the campaign Of 1860
Pickens was nominated as candidate
for Governor Of his State, and on the
day Abraham Lincoln was elected
President, Pickcns was elected as the
chief executive of South Carolina, Of
which his father and grandfather had
previously been governor. He left
the Russian court and brought his
wife and little daughter to America,
but the Russian royal family never
forge. the little Douschka, and upon
each birthday she received from Gear
Alexander II bewildering array GO
costly gifts, custom which was con-
tinued by the present czar until the
death Of the beautiful woman few
years ago.
"In Carolina, Douschka, a mere
tot, became as great favorite as che
had been among the splendid Russians.
Civil and military officers worshipped
the child, and it was this universal
love for her that made her, historical
ly, the leading young woman Of the
State and Of the South.
when tue days grew darker and
darker. and it was seen that war could
not be prevented, the Confederates at
Charleston prepared for the conflict.
Tue Federals occupied Fort Sumter,
and General Beauregard made every
preparation to defend the city. When
it was finally decided that he should
lombard the Federal fort he invited.
Goy. Pickens to inspect The garrison
and witness the inception Of hostili-
ties. The governor visited the forts
and gunboats and took with him his
wife and child, Douschka. All the
guns were in readiness sor the first
fatal shot which was to rend the ma
tion in fratrioidal strife. 4
"When the governor had visited all
parts of the garrison, General Beaure-
gard picked up the golden-h haired,
blue.eyed little girl and petted her
for moment. Then he placed
burning match in her baby fingers and
held her antil she touched the fuse Of
a cannon. Thus the child, at the ten
der age Of years, born in the Rus
sian palace, the pet Of the nobility of
all the nations, and the daughter Of
the great war governor, fred the first
gun in the greatest war of modern
times. 3
"Aster that first shot the artillery
doomed for hours, but the child and,
her mother had Been taken to place
Of safety. 1t is not necessary 10 deal
further with the conflict itself in tell
ing the story.
"a few months after this dramatic
incident daughter Of Governor Pick
ems by former marriage was to be
welded. Dousohka was chosen to
act as flower girl. Upon tho day Of
the wedding o sad-looking, but aristo.
cratic assembly crowded the great St.
Michael cathedral at Charleston. Soon
the prel;minaries Of The wedding were
gone through and the bride and groom
were standing at the altar. A solemn
hush was over everything, and the
only thing to break the stiffness was
the occasional distant thunder Of o
cannon that kept up dismal ohal-
lenge and roared at the old city.
s'The Churohman was reading che
wedding ceremony. There at the
side Of the bride-to-be stood little
Douschka, her arms eno;rcling great
bouquet Of flowers. The intended
husband reached out his hand and
a ~ II A