- John Henry Russell
Rear Admiral John Henry Russell (4 July 1827 –1 April 1897 ) was an officer of theUnited States Navy during theMexican-American War and theAmerican Civil War .Russell was born at Frederick,
Maryland on4 July 1827 toSir James Henry Russell and Martha Wilson Russell. He was appointedmidshipman 10 September 1841 and served in thesloop of war "Cyane" in the Pacific until 1843. He returned in thefrigate "United States" in 1844 and served in "St. Mary's" in theGulf of Mexico from 1844 to 1846. He participated in operations at Galveston, Corpus Christi,Brazos ,Resaca , and Vera Cruz.After duty in
"Allegheny" in 1847, he graduated at theUnited States Naval Academy in 1848. Briefly assigned to coast survey duty, he made a cruise toBrazil in 1849, then served on theNew York -West Indies mail line from 1853 to 1856, and served as navigator in "Vincennes" during explorations of theNorth Pacific andArctic Ocean s. Assigned to theMediterranean Squadron at the end of the decade, he returned to the United States and ordnance duty at theWashington Navy Yard just prior to the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War .In April 1861, he assisted in preventing ships at Norfolk from falling to the enemy; and, in September, he led a boat expedition into Pensacola Harbor to destroy the Confederate
privateer "Judah". He next assumed command of "Kennebec" and in thatgunboat participated in operations on theMississippi River up to Vicksburg and served in theblockade of Mobile. Commanding "Pontiac" in 1863, he returned to ordnance duty at Washington in 1864 and to thePacific Squadron to serve as commanding officer of "Cyane" in 1864–65.Various duties, afloat and ashore, on both coasts, Atlantic and Pacific, followed, and he completed his last assignment, 3 years as Commandant
Mare Island Navy Yard , in 1886. Appointed rear admiral4 March 1886, he retired on27 August , and resided inWashington, D.C. until his death1 April 1897 .In 1938, the
destroyer USS "Russell" (DD-414) was named in his honor. USS "Russell" (DDG-59) was named for him and his son, Major GeneralJohn Henry Russell, Jr. His granddaughter was
Brooke Astor , a noted philanthropist.References
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