Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-13
clipping which chronicled the suicide

clipping which chronicled 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
lcovers. Ore Is Alexander Mitchell
son, London" and the other wv. Har-
rison, January IA. 1904"
The first clipping on the back cover
reads as follows:
"Old Edmund Ruffin, who fired the
first gun on Ft. Sumter, committed
suicide on Saturday last near Dan
vile, Va, 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,
Il cannot survive the loss Of the lib
critics of my country"
Then, after 46 years, another clip
ping throws a different light on the
1 firing of the first shot. 1t is this
/ statement of General Roger Atkinson
Pryor, the soldier, editor and lawyer.
1t reads as follows:
THE first shot on Ft. Sumter freed
the slaves, but that was not my In
| tention when l viewed the cannon's
fuse, prepared to touch 1t off.
Il was then lawyer of 33 from Vir-
ginia, and had make a speech in Char
lesion just few days before the 18th
of April, 1861, in which l said: Strike
one blow and Virginia will secede in an
hour by the Shrewsbury clock 1t was
in compliment for this speech that
General Beauregard bestowed upon me
the honor of firing the first shot. Ruff
fin had a paper, Of which he had been
editor for many years. He was the
| first advocate of secession as distinct
| from Calhoun's doctrine of nullifca-
ton. Virginia did not favor Ruffin's
notion strongly. That Is why Ruffin
went to South Carolina to PROFOUND
his doctrine. He went to Charleston
in April. Charleston was beleagured
with 5000 to 1000 young southern
gentlemen, all in fighting trim. With
these boys Ruffin enlisted. He was
present when General Beauregard ask
ed me to fire the first shot. I intro
duced him to the general and told the
general what Ruffin had done to fur
ther the cause Of the south, and per-
suaded him to allow Ruffin to fire 1t.
The general was persuaded. Ruffin
fired the first shot. Virginia thereup-
on seeded, uniting the entire south"
Ruffin's name would hardly be known
To-day If General Pryor had obeyed the
first instructions.
The taking of the old book from his
chest has brought back old memories
to Captain Preston, and once again he
wonders what became Of his faithful
boy Aaron. Aaron always said that
was his only name and he never had
another one.
Like Topsy, Aaron didn't know any
thing about his past. Captain Pres
ton met him during the early part OF
the war and he was faithful to the
end, even following him to Philadel-
phia.
When Captain Preston recoveredI
from serious wounds near the close OF
the war and went to Washington on
his way north, Aaron stuck with him.
Aaron walked with his master to the
train shed, wearing his saber and belt.
Noticing how down-hearted Aaron
was the captain asked him If he want
ed to go north" "Golly, master, I'd
| like to-"
But Aaron forgot satchel and went
back to the headquarters to get IT.
The train went off without Aaron, and
Captain Preston arrived in Philadel-
phia minus the faithful servant. He
stayed in Philadelphia for several
days visiting friends prior to going to
his home In New York.
Before going to the old Kensington
depot to catch his train he went down
to the Washington Avenue depot.
T mere he was amazed to see Aaron
walking wildly up and down the street
with the satchel, saber and belt.
There was a grand reunion, but 1t
wasn't to last long. Aaron stopped to
talk to some negroes and the captain
lost track of him But he got his belt
and saber, and still has them.
Aaron, 1t appears, was arrested
when he went back to the quarters
and was brought before General Aber-
crombie. The officer commanded him
| to give up the belt and saber, but the
plucky little fellow refused to do 1t.
He explained that "a bullet went clear
through that belt and through Massa
Preston's body, and Massa Preston
wouldn't part with 1t for mint" The
general admitted the boys nerve and
was also impressed with the story and
gave him a pass out of the city.
To Aaron the north" was def
mite place. (and he thought that If
he boarded any train going north he
| would find the captain. So 1t was en-
tirely by accident that Captain Pres
ton got his mementos.
Aaron, If he is living, Is the only
one that can explain where Rufnn 3
book came from.-Philadelphia North-
American.