During his later years, with his wife, who represented the ladies of another era, as he did its men, he lived on Washington Avenue, in Fredericksburg. To few did he ever show the deeper side of his character, but those who knew him until he died in 1906, knew how much kindly manliness dwelt therein.
Major General Daniel Ruggles
Although Major General Daniel Ruggles was born in Massachusetts, he married Miss Richardetta Mason Hooe, a great granddaughter of George Mason, and the greater part of his life was spent in Fredericksburg, of which he became a citizen and in which he died.
During his life in Fredericksburg he concerned himself with the business of the town, and was known to almost all of its residents.
He was graduated into the army from West Point in 1883 and lead a small band into the west and explored the Fox river the same year.
General Ruggles’ Career
When the Seminole Indian war broke out Lieutenant Ruggles with fifty men penetrated the everglades and was commended for his services. In the Mexican war he stopped the Mexican advance at Palo Alto and was promoted to Captain on the field.
Captain Ruggles and his men reached Chapaultepec, drove into the city, made a determined stand and were the first of the advancing American Army to raise the American flag over the fort. He was breveted Major by President Polk “for gallant and meritorious conduct at Chereubusco” and a little later was made Lieutenant Colonel “for gallant and conspicuous bravery at Chapaultepec.” In 1861 he joined the Confederate Army.
The Real “First Battle”
Placed in command of the most important of the Southern departments at Fredericksburg, the “gateway to the South,” he organized and equipped a small army. When the Confederacy found that they had no gun caps, necessary on the old “muzzle loaders,” and no copper from which to make caps, General Ruggles invented a cap made from raw hide and dried in the sun (specimens are in the National Museum), which were used by the whole Southern Army during the first three months of the war.