Secession and Cockades
As tensions rose between North and South, Ruffin's writings about slavery and the southern economy became even more famous than his writings on soil conservation. Believing there could be no reconciliation between the Northern and Southern viewpoints, Ruffin began to push for secession long before many others were interested.
After casting his vote in the pivotal 1860 election, he immediately headed for South Carolina and joined the state "Minute Men." He noted the following in his diary two days later:
I had before seen Mr. Bachman, the son of my old friend Dr. B., who informed me that his sister Catherine was at his house. I sent her a request to make a cockade for me, & meeting the family afterwards, she sewed it on my hat.
Ruffin was apparently so proud of the cockade that he had himself photographed with it. The photo is labeled on the side, "Hat with secession cockade."
As Ruffin labored throughout November and December to convince South Carolinians to secede, he and his cockade became well-known. The New York Times reprinted an item from a South Carolina paper on November 16:
The character second in note to the Governor appears to of the venerable EDMUND RUFFIN, of Virginia, who, with his long flowing white locks and his blue cockade, is the observed of all observers. As soon as he had cast his vote in Virginia for President, Mr. RUFFIN came on here. He has the privilege of the floor in both Houses, and appears to be incessant in his labors for secession.