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.
[Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: _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.
[Illustration: OLD "CHATHAM"
_One of the Most Characteristic of All Virginia Colonial Mansions_]
General Ruggles planted artillery and, using these caps with match heads
to explode them, drove off the Union gunboats and a lading force at Aquia
Creek May 31, 1861, nine days before "Big Bethel", and weeks after
Virginia seceded. He thus fought and won the first battle of the Civil
war.
His career during the war won him wide recognition. His movements won the
battle of Shiloh through finding a weak point in the enemy's line. He was
made Major General March 25, 1865, and surrendered at Augusta, Ga., after
Appomattox. Although he fought in five Indian wars, the Mexican war and
the Civil war, from the start to finish, and was recognized as a man who
would lead his men anywhere, he never received a wound of any kind in his
life.
Many people in Fredericksburg remember him now, with his fine face, his
erect figure and his long gray whiskers. In his latter days some people
laughed at him, not understanding that there was genius in the man,
because of his first experience with "rainmaking." He invented the method
which is used now by the United States Government, under his patent. He
earned the name of "raincrow" which sometimes reached his ears. He
patented the first propeller which was ever used on a steam boat (model in
the National Museum). He also invented the first principles of the
telephone. He invented in 1858 a system whereby an electric bell on a ship
would ring on the approach of the ship to any rock or point on the shore
equipped with the same apparatus. This was tested by the navy and
proclaimed impractical, but it contained the principles of wireless
telegraphy. It is used by the American navy today.