Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/200

 RUGGLES

RUGGLES

Rev. Benjamin and Mctcv (Woodbriilgc) Ruggles of SuffifM. Conn. He received a liberal educa- tii>n; studied and practised law at Kingston, N.Y.. was a member of the state legislature iu 1820; a representative from New York in the ITtii congress, 1821-23, and circuit judge and vice-cliancellorof the second state judicial district. 18;W-46. He resigned on account of ill-healtii in 1846, liaving meanwhile re- moved toPoughkeep- sie, N.Y. He was a member of the state constitutional con- vention of 184G, serv- ing as cliairman of its judiciary com- mittee; was judge of the court of ap- peals. 1847-53; chief justice, 1851; re-elected judge of the court of appeals in 1853 upon the expiration of his original term, and served until A:ig. 30, 1855, when he resigned and retired to private life. He was married, first, to Gertrude Beekman of Kingston, N.Y., and secondly, in May, 1850, to Mary Crooke (Broom) Livingston. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from R.ttgers college. New Brunswick, N.J., 1848. He died in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., June 16, 1865.

RUGGLES, Daniel, soldier, was born in Barre, Mass., Jan. 31, 1810. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy as brevet 2nd lieu- tenant, 5th infantry, July 1, 1833, and served on frontier and recruiting duty, 1833-39; was pro- moted 2nd lieutenant, Feb. 18, 1836, and 1st lieutenant, July 7, 1838. He served in the Florida war, 1839-40; on frontier and recruiting duty, 1840-45; in military occupation of Texas, 1845- 46. and in the war with Mexico, 1847-48. He was promoted captain of the 5th infantry, June 18. 1846, and took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, capture of San Antonio, battle of Molino delRe^', and the assault and captureof the City of Mexico. He was brevetted major, Aug. 20, 1847, for gal- lant conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, Mex., and lieutenant-colonel, Sept. 13, 1847, for Chapultepec. He was on frontier duty in Mississippi and Texas; served on the Utah expedition, 1858-59, and resigned his com- mission. May 7, 1861. He joined the Confederate army; was appointed colonel of Virginia volun- teers, April 22, 1861; brigadier-general, April 23, 1861, and was appointed brigadier-general C.S.A., Aug. 9, 1861. He was stationed at Pensacola, Fla.. 1861-62: commanded the 1st division, 2nd army corps, Army of the Mississippi, in the battle

of Sliiloh. and the 2nd division, Breckinridge's force, at the battle of Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, 1862. He succee'led Breckinridge in the com- mand of the Confederate forces at Port Hudson, then engaged in erecting tiie works that proved a formidable obstacle to the Federal operations on the Mississippi. He was promoted major- general in 1863; commanded the Department of the Mississippi, and was commissary-general of prisoners in 1865. He retired to his estate near Palafox, Texas, after the war, and died at Fred- ericksburg, Va., June 1. 1897.

RUGGLES, George David, soldier, was born at Newburgli, N.Y., Sept. 11, 1833; son of David and Sarah (Colden) Ruggles; grandson of Joseph and Mercy (Warner) Ruggles and of David and Gertrude (Wynkoop) Colden, and a descendant of colonial governors Thomas Dudley of Massa- chusetts, William Leete of Connecticut and Cad- wallader Colden of New York. His first ances- tor in America was John Ruggles of Nasing, Essex, England, who came to Roxbury, Massachu- setts Bay colony, 1635. George D. Ruggles was graduated at the U.S. Military academy, July 1, 1855; was assigned to duty as 2d lieutenant, 2nd infantry, and served in the Chippewa and Sioux Indian country. He was adjutant of liis regiment, 1857-61, and acting adjutant-general of the Department of the West, 1858. He was promoted 1st lieutenant. May 21, 1861, and was assigned to Gen. Robert Patterson's army, in which he served as acting adjutant-general of brigade, being appointed assistant adjutant-gen- eral with brevet rank of captain in July, 1861. He was commissioned assistant adjutant-general with the rank of captain, Aug. 3, 1861, and as- signed to duty in the war department, charged with the organization of volunteer forces when there was little precedent of law or regulation to guide hira in his important work. The quarter- masters' and subsistence departments were not authorized to pay any expenses of soldiers prior to mustering in, which expenses had to be met by the several states. About the time that their funds were exhausted, Captain Ruggles appealed to congress and succeeded in obtaining an a impro- priation of twenty millions of dollars for "col- lecting, organizing and drilling volunteers."' The volunteer bureau having been completely organ- ized under his direction, in one year after its conception he was assigned to duty as chief of staff and adjutant-general of the Army of Vir- ginia, with the rank of colonel of volunteers, June 28, 1862, and was promoted to the rank of major in the regular service. July 17, 1862. He took part in the actions at Cedar Mountain, the two days' fight on the Rappahannock, the battle of Waterloo Bridge, the second battle of Bull Run and the battle of Chantilly. When General