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.
