Daniel Ruggles (1810 - 1897)

Born 31 Jan 1810 in Barre, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Richardetta Barnes Mason (Hooe) Ruggles — married 1837 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 1 Jun 1897 at age 87 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Daniel Ruggles has English ancestors.

Daniel Ruggles was born 31 January 1810, Barre, Worcester, Massachusetts. He was the son of Gardner Ruggles and Lydia Phinney.

Daniel Ruggles was born on January 31, 1810, in Barre, Massachusetts, a small town in the central part of the state, to a family with a colorful military background. He was named after his grandfather, the Honorable Daniel Ruggles, who hailed from neighboring Hardwick and served as a Lieutenant in the American Revolution and as a Justice of the Peace afterward. His great-uncle was Edward Ruggles, a “Minuteman,” who fought at the Battle of Lexington in 1775 and, a few years after the Revolution, helped put down Shays’ Rebellion in western Massachusetts.

Daniel Ruggles graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York in1833, 34th out of 43 cadets. Entering the 5th Infantry (U. S. A.) he became 2nd Lieutenant on 18 February 1836; 1st Lieutenant on July 7, 1838; Captain on June 18, 1846. He served in the War Against the Seminoles in Florida "The Florida War" in 1839 and in 1840 he returned to the Canada–US border; and stayed until 1845 when he took part in the Occupation of Texas. Doing recruiting services after the end of the campaign, Daniel Ruggles and the 5th Infantry, joined General Winfield Scott's army for the Mexico City Campaign, fighting at Vera Cruz, San Antonio, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec and Mexico City. Daniel Ruggles was breveted for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct to Major after Churubusco August 20, and to Lieutenant Colonel after Chapultepec, September 13, 1847.[1]

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Daniel Ruggles resigned his commission in the U.S. Army on May 7, 1861[2] Appointed a Confederate Brigadier General of Militia and Colonel in the Provisional Army of Virginia he was given command of the Aquia District in May 1861.[3]

During the battle of Shiloh (Union name Pittsburg Landing) on April 6–7, 1862, Gen. Ruggles, on Sunday, April 6, saw repeated Confederate charges against the Union line known as "The Hornets Nest" fail. He sent word to his commanders to "Get every gun you can find." Subsequently, artillery was collected from every part of the field and lined up in a row of 62 cannons, now known as "Ruggle's Battery" (the biggest concentration of Artillery ever assembled in the history of North America up to that point), which hammered the Hornets Nest until the last Confederate charge broke the Union line at around 5:30 p.m., forcing it to surrender, 12 hours after the battle had started.

After being promoted to Major-General in 1863 he spent the rest of the war in administration duties. After the war, Daniel Ruggles was a real estate agent and a farmer in Virginia. He later served as a member of the West Point Board of Visitors from 1884 until his death.[2]

He married Richardetta_Barnes_Hooe in 1837. They were the parents of four children:

1. George Mason Hooe Ruggles unknown–1853

2. Edward Seymour Ruggles 1843–1919

3. Mortimer Bainbridge Ruggles 1844–1902 (Mortimer, was arrested for helping John Wilkes Booth escape after killing Lincoln. Ruggles and two others met Booth and another by chance at a ferry. Even after learning what he had done, Mortimer arranged for a stay at the Garret Farm.)

4. Gardner Ruggles 1854–1910

He died in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1897; and rests there in the Confederate Cemetery, Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg City, Virginia.

Sources

[1]Cullum, George W. (1891). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, Volume 1 (3rd ed.). West Point, NY.

• [2]"U.S. Mexican War The Zachary Taylor Encampment in Corpus Christi, 1845-1846" - Daniel Ruggles (https://web.archive.org/web/20070928120049/http://www.library.ci.corpus-christi.tx.us/MexicanWar/rugglesd.htm)

• Eicher, John H.; Eicher, David J. (2001). Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1 pages 464-465

• Ruggles Families (2) 1444 - 1993 (http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~dav4is/genealogy/ODTs/RUGGLES.shtml#K23_1)

• Sifakis, Stewart (1988). Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.

• Cullums Register (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/740*.html)

• Register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy Class of 1833 (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/Classes/1833.html)

See Also:

• Wikipedia: Daniel_Ruggles

• Wikidata: Item Q2916876, en:Wikipedia

• https://www.historynet.com/rebel-general-from-abolitionist-enclave-massachusetts.htm