In 1833 he graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York as 34th out of 43 cadets; among those George W. Cullum and Rufus King.

Participating in the Texas Campaign Ruggles fought in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma; his solid services securing him a promotion to Captain on June 18, 1846.

Participating in the Utah Expedition in 1858 and 1859, Ruggles went on leave of absence for health reasons and stayed absent until the beginning of the American Civil War.

On August 9, 1861, he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned command of a brigade in Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Pensacola in Florida, although he was a known abolitionist.

He fought with General John C. Breckinridge, the former Vice President of the United States, in the 1862 campaign to regain control of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"Most of the predatory warfare [after the fall of Vicksburg, in 1863], was waged by Federal troops stationed on the Memphis-Charleston Railroad [in southern Tennessee], and near it in [northern] Mississippi.

Gen. Ruggles commanded Ferguson's brigade of Confederate cavalry, and ten or twelve field pieces...This disposition had been made by Lt. Gen.