Charles Sawyer Russell (1831 - 1866)

Born 15 Mar 1831 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 2 Nov 1866 at age 35 in Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States

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Biography

Charles Russell is Notable.

Charles Sawyer Russell was an American soldier. Russell was a Brevet Brigadier General in the Union Army during the Civil War. Russell is honored as a white officer of colored troops at the African-American Civil War Memorial in Washington D.C. on panel B, number 44.

Charles was born in 1831, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of John Brooks Russel and Mary Hicks (Sawyer) Russell. ^[1]

On February 13, 1855, Charles S Russell married Anna E. Shetcher in Indianapolis, Indiana. ^[2] They had 2 daughters: Annie Bell Russell and Caroline Russell (who married David Bispham in 1885). ^[3]

Military Service

• Civil War
  

  Brigadier General Charles Russell served in the United States Civil War.
  Enlisted: Apr 19, 1861
  Mustered out: Nov 2, 1866
  Side: USA
  Regiment(s): F & S, 28th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (Colored); 11th Regiment, Indiana Infantry; 28th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

On April 19, 1861, Charles S Russell enlisted as a Sargeant in the 11th Regiment, Indiana Infantry. Sgt. Russell was promoted to Captain. Captain Russell helped to raise and organize a company. ^[4] Russell participated in the "sanguinary conflicts in which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, " such as the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Antietam, and Gettysburg. ^[4] Russell was brevetted Major for his conduct in the Battle of Antietam and brevetted Lieutenant Colonel for his meritorious service at the Battle of Chancellorsville. ^[3]

In May 1864, Russell was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and help raise the 28th Regiment United States Colored Troops (aka: 28th Regiment, Indiana Infantry (Colored)). In July 1864, at the Battle of the Crater, the 28th Regiment lost half of its men. Russell was brevetted Colonel for his conduct at the Battle of the Crater and brevetted to Brigadier General. ^[5]

On August 27, 1864, Russell was promoted to Colonel. He commanded a brigade in IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Colonel Russell and his 28th Regiment were among the first regiments to enter Richmond after its fall to Union forces. Russell mustered out of the Volunteers with his regiment on November 8, 1865. ^[6]

Post War

After the War, Russell transferred to the 20th Infantry Regiment, United States Army. ^[3]

Brigadier General Charles Sawyer Russel died of Cholera in 1866, while still in the military. He was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5988244/charles-sawyer-russell: accessed 30 November 2023), memorial page for Charles Sawyer Russell (15 Mar 1831–2 Nov 1866), Find a Grave Memorial ID 5988244, citing Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
2. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XF8F-NXD : 13 January 2020), Charles S. Russell, 1855.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Charles Sawyer Russell, Military Wiki, Fandom. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Charles_Sawyer_Russell
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Fold3, US, Letters Received by the Commission Branch of the Adjutant General's Office, 1863-1870, Record of Charles S Russell. https://www.fold3.com/image/306714083?terms=indiana,war,russell,civil,union,charles,s
5. ↑ Charles Sawyer Russell, Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia. https://alchetron.com/Charles-Sawyer-Russell
6. ↑ Charles Sawyer Russell - PeoplePill. https://peoplepill.com/i/charles-sawyer-russell/

See also:

• Wikipedia: Charles Sawyer Russell
• Wikidata: Item Q5082371