The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-07-22

Tenth New York cavalry, was near
the James river in May, GA, when one
night Aaron woke his master up by
throwing the heavy blankets on him.
Aaron had been out with a party on
foraging trip. But he never told
where he got the articles.
AS Captain Preston never allowed
his men to enter house except to get
eatable, he took the negro boy sharply
to task. But when the captain looked
at the blankets he noticed the initials
u. s. well, whoever had these
blankets stole them, so you're all
right Aaron he remarked.
The history has since been in the
relic chest at Captain Preston's home,
and he didn't take it out until a few
days ago. when General Pryor an
nounced that he had been first dele
gated to fire that first shot. The cap
tain pasted this recent newspaper clip
ping in the back of the book beside
an old yellow clipping which chron-
icled the suicide of Ruffin.
The book is the first volume of a
history written by David Ramsey, M.
D., and was published by R. Atkin &
Son in Philadelphia. Besides the sig
nature and bookmark of Ruffin, there
are two other signatures on the front
covers. One is alexander Mitchell
son, London" and the other "W. Har-
risou. January 141S04."
AN Old Clipping.
The first clipping on the back cover
reads as follows:
old Edmund Ruffin, who fired the
first gun on Fort Sumpter, committed
suicide on Saturday last near Danville,
Virginia, by blowing his brains out
with a musket. He had become very
low-spirited since the capture of Rich
mond, and did not wish to live under
Yankee rule. He left a note saying
T cannot survive the loss of the lib
critics of my country"
Then. after forty-six years, another
clipping throws a different light on
the firing of the first shot. It is this
statement of General Roger Atkinson
Pryor, the soldier, editor and lawyer
It reads as follows:
"The first shot on Fort Sumter freed
the slaves, but that was not my in
tention when I viewed the lannon's
face, prepared to touch it off.
~ was then a lawyer of SO from
Virginia, and had made a speech in
Charleston Just few days before the
18th of April. 1861, in which I said
Strike one blow and Virginia will Sc
cede in an hour by the Shrewsbury
clock. 1t was in compliment for this
speech that General Beauregard be
slowed upon me the honor of firms
the first shot. Ruffin had a paper, o.
which he had been editor for many
years. He was the first advocate O.
secession as distinct from Calhoun''
doctrine of notification. Virginia die
not favor Ruffin's notion strongly
That is why Ruffin went to Soutl
Carolina to PROFOUND his doctrine
He went to Charleston in April
Charleston was beleagured with 300,
TO 1000 young Southern gentlemen
all in fighting trim. With these boy
Ruffin enlisted. He was present whel
/ General Beauregard asked me to fir
the first shot. I introduced him t
the general and told the general wha
Ruffin had done to further the caus
Of the South, and persuaded him t
allow Ruffin to fire it. The genera
was persuaded. RHffin fired the frs
shot. Virginia thereupon seeded
uniting the entire South"
Ruffin's name would hardly b
known today if General Pryor ha
oheyed the first instructions.
Old Memories.
The taking of the old book from HI
chest has brought back old memorie
to Captain Preston, and once agai
he wonders what became of his faitl
full boy Aaron. Aaron always sal
that was his only name and he nevt
had another one.
Like Topsy, Aaron didn't know an
thing about his past. Captain Presto