Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/211

 RUSSELL

RUSSELL

RUSSELL, David, representative, was born in Masachusetts in 1800 ; a descendant of Richard Rus- sell(1612-74),who immigrated to the United States, 1640, and was treasurer of Massachusetts, 1644-74, through James (1640-1709), judge and treasurer of Massachusetts, 1680-86, and Chambers (1713- 67; Harvard, 1731), judge of the Massachusetts superior court of admiralty. He attended the common schools, and was admitted to the bar in Salem, N.Y., where he began practice. He was a member of the New York assembly from Wash- ington county, 1816 and 1830 ; U.S. district attor- ney for northern New York, and a Whig repre- sentative in the 24th, 2.jth and 36th congresses, 18:35-41, serving as chairman of the committee on claims. In the latter year he returned to the practice of law in Salem, N.Y., where he died, Nov. 24, 1861.

RUSSELL, David Allen, soldier, was born in Salem, N.Y., Dec. 10, 1820 ; son of David Russell (q.v.). He was gi'aduated from the U.S. Military academy, and promoted brevet 2d lieutenant, 1st infantry, July 1, 1845 ; was promoted 2d lieutenant, 4th infantry, Sept. 21, 1846 ; was brevetted 1st lieutenant, Aug. 15, 1847, " for gal- lant and meritorious conduct in the several affairs with guerilleros, at Paso Ovejas, National Bridge and Cerro Gordo, Mexico ; " was promoted 1st lieutenant, Jan 1, 1848 ; was on frontier, garrison and recruiting service, 1848-54 ; was promoted captain, June 22, 1854 ; engaged in the combat with the Indians on Tappinish river, Simcoe valley, Ore., Oct. 6-8, 1855; in the hostilities in Washington Territory, 1856 ; and remained on duty in Oregon and California until Nov. 27, 1861, when he was called to the defences of Washing- ton, March 10, 1862, and assigned to the com- mand of the 7th Massachusetts volunteers, Jan. 31, 1862. He was ordered to the Peninsula, March 10, 1862, and assigned to Devens's brigade, Couch's division, Keyes's 4tli corps, in the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks and the seven days' battles around Rich- mond, and was bi-evetted lieutenant-colonel, for gallant and meritorious services, July 1, 1862, and promoted major of the 8th U.S. infantry, Aug. 9, 1802, the regiment being attached to Couch's di- vision, Franklin's 4th corps, in the Antietam campaign. He was promoted brigadier-general, U.S. volunteers, Nov. 29, 1862, and in the Rappa- hannock campaign commanded the 3d brigade, Brooks's division. Smith's 6th corps, under Gen- eral Burnside, and was engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862. At the battle of Salem Heights, May 4, 1863, when Sedgwick, commanding the corps, fell back, it devolved upon General Russell to withdraw the picket line, and he crossed the river in safety, although troops and bridges were shelled by the enemy's

artillery. Early in June General Russell's bri- gade, with that of Ames, was detailed under Pleasanton to obtain information as to the ene- my's position, and he crossed Kelly's Ford, pro- ceeded to Brandy Station and thence to Culpeper, and particii^ated in the combat at Beverly Ford, June 9, 1863. The 6th corps arrived at Gettys- burg, July 2, 1863, after a long march from Man- chester, and with the 5th corps succeeded in checking and finally repulsing the opposing Con- federate force about sunset. For his gallant and meritorious conduct at Gettysburg, General Rus- sell was brevetted colonel, U.S.A. He engaged in the pursuit of Lee toWarrenton, Va., and with his division alone brilliantly assaulted the Rappa- hannock redoubts, Nov. 7, 1863, facing the con- tinuous and destructive fire of the enemy, and broke over the parapet. Sergt. Otis O. Roberts, company H, of the 6th Maine, captured the colors, and Col. Emory Upton's brigade, advanced to the head of the pontoon-bridges, cutting off tlie ene- my's retreat and capturing more than 1600 pris- oners, 8 colors, all the guns, and 2000 stands of small-arms. General Russell, accompanied by one company of each of the regiments engaged, was ordered formally to present the captured flags at headquarters. He was then ordered by General Meade to present the flags to the war department of Washington, Sergeant Otis to accompany him, and was also offered a leave of absence on account of the wound which he had received during the assault. In three days he returned from Wash- ington, reporting that Secretary Stanton had been too busy to receive him, and that consequently he had sent the flags to the war departmen t. Gen- eral Russell was soon after compelled to go to the hospital for treatment, which detained him more than sixty days, and it required the combined in- fluence of Generals Meade, Sedgwick and Wright to prevent his being mustered out of service. On May 10, 1864, with General Upton, he com- manded a selected column of the 6th corps, and carried the works near Spottsylvania, one of the few Federal victories in the Wilderness campaign. In the battle of Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864, he commanded the 1st division of the 6th corps, and held the left of the line of battle. His division met with severe losses and he was wounded, but refused to leave the field during the day. He commanded the 1st division in the Army of the Shenandoah, and at the battle of Winchester, when the Federal center, weakened by Emory's 19th corps, was being driven back by Rodes, he led his division into the breach, striking the flank of the Confederates who were pursuing Grover, and thus restored the lines and checked the ene- my's advance, but received a mortal wound, and was brevetted major-general, U.S.A., on tlie field. He died at Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.