| Show I GAfa J Jr FIRST r SHOT IN CIVIL WAR Consensus of Opinion Gives Credit to Edmund Ardent Ruffin-Ardent Ardent Secessionist Secessionist Secessionist Committed Suicide There Is always a fascination about the first whether its it's a baby a pair of ot trousers a high hat or tho the discoverer discoverer discoverer of the north pole And so It is that with the fiftieth I anniversary of ot the Civil war there Is Isa Isa Isa a particular Interest attaching to tb the theman I man who fired the first shot I There has been some dispute about it but the consensus of opinion has bas settled upon Edmund Ruffin as theone the theone theone one who fired the shot that freed the slaves A book that the passing of years has made Interesting Is in the possession possession posses posses- sion slon of Capt Noble D. D Preston Preston of Philadelphia It is a history of ot the ther s s f r 1 41 4 r a Ruffin Fired First Shot American revolution and was the property of Edmund Preston with his his his' comrades of the Tenth New York cavalry was near the James river in May 1864 when one night Aaron woke his master up by throwing the heavy blankets on him Aaron had been out with a party party par par- ty on a a foraging trip But Bu he never told where he got the articles As Captain Pres Preston Preston on never allowed his men to enter a house except to get eatables he tie took the negro boy sharply to task But when the captain captain captain cap cap- tain looked at the blankets he noticed noticed noticed no no- the initials U S. S Well whoever whoever who who- whoever ever had these blankets stole them so youre you're all right Aaron Aaron he re re- marked The history has since been in the relic chest at Captain Preston's home and he didn't take it out until a few tew days ago when General Pryor announced announced an that he had been first delegated dele del gated to fire that first shot The captain cap cap- tam tain o pasted this recent newspaper clipping in the back of the book b be side an old yellow clipping which chronicled the suicide of Ruffin I The first first clipping cUpping on the back cov coy cover coyer er reads as follows Old Edmu Edmund id d Ruffin who fired the first gun on Fort Sumter committed s suicide on Saturday last near Danville Danville Dan Dan- ville Va by blowing his brains out with a masket mask He had become very low spirited sin since e the capture of ot Richmond and did not wish to live under Yankee rule He left a note saying i cannot survive the loss of the liberties liberties' of ot my country Then after 46 years another cUpping clipping clipping clip cUp ping throws a different light on the firing of or 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 Fort Sumter freed Creed the sl slaves ves but that was not my intention when I 1 viewed the cannons cannon's fuse prepared to touch it bitI off bit I was then a lawyer of 33 from tram Virginia and had mac made e a sp ch In Charleston just a few Cew days before the tho of at April 1861 In which I said Strike one blow and Virginia will secede secede secede se se- cede in an hour by the Shrewsbury clock It was in compliment for this this- speech that General Beauregard bestowed bestowed be be- stowed upon me the honor bonor of firing the first shot Ruffin had a paper of which he had been beeri b eI edi editor or for many years He was the first advocate of ot secession as distinct from Calhoun's doctrine of nullification Virginia a did I not favor Ruffins Ruffin's notion strongly That is wh why Ruffin went to South I Carolina to propound his doctrine He Ie I went wont to Charleston In April AprI Charleston leston Cha was beleaguered with to young southern gentlemen gentlemen gentle gentle- men all aU In fighting trim With these I boys Ruffin enlisted He was present when General Beauregard asked me meto meto meto to fire the first shot I Introduced him to the general and told the general general general gen gen- eral what Ruffin had done to further I the cause of ot the south and persuaded him to allow Ruffin to fire It The general was persuaded Ruffin fired I the first shot Virginia thereupon seI seceded se so- I ceded uniting the time entire south The taking of oC the old book hook from his bis chest has brought back old memories memo memo- tIes ries to Captain Preston and once again he wonders what became of ot bia r faithful I boy bOJ Aaron |
