Edmund Ruffin (1794 - 1865) - credited with firing the first shot of the American Civil War at the Battle of Fort Sumter.
Portrait photo circa 1860s of Edmund Ruffin - the person credited with firing the first shot of the American Civil War. Ruffin (1794 - 1865) was a farmer, slaveholder and political activist from Virginia who was an ardent supporter of the Confederacy. Opponents described him as one of the Fire-Eaters - the name given to extremist pro-slavery politicians from the South who urged southern states to form a new nation - and he is said to have fired the first shot of the war at the Battle of Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12 1861. Ruffin, who is also remembered for his contributions to agricultural science, wrapped himself in a Confederate flag and committed suicide on June 17 1865 when it was clear the Southern states had lost the war. Photo by Mathew B Brady.
Size: 3968px × 5596px
Photo credit: © Archive Pics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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