General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Lord Alexander George Russell (16 September 1821 – 10 January 1907) was a British Army general. He served during the Siege of Sevastapol in the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

Background

Russell was born at

Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, ...

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated ''Beds'') is a Ceremonial County, ceremonial county in the East of England. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the south and the south-east, and Buckin ...

, the seventh son of

John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig politician who notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was the father ...

and his second wife, Lady Georgina (or Georgiana) Gordon, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, although it has been claimed that Russell's father was actually the Victorian painter

Sir Edwin Landseer Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. His best-known work is the lion sculptures at the base of Nelso ...

, who conducted a lengthy affair with the Duchess of Bedford. He was the half-brother of Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford, Lord George Russell and Prime Minister

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (18 August 1792 – 28 May 1878), known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whigs (British political party), Whig and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United K ...

and the full brother of Lord Edward Russell and

Lord Charles Russell Lord Charles James Fox Russell (10 February 1807 – 29 June 1894), was a British soldier and Whig politician. Background Russell was the third son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, by his second wife Lady Georgiana, daughter of Alexand ...

. He had three sisters, including Louisa Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn.

Military career

Russell joined the Army on 11 July 1839 when he purchased a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the

Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

. Russell was a Colonel in the

and served during the Siege of Sevastapol in the

. He became General Officer Commanding South-Eastern District in April 1877 and Commander of the British Troops in Canada in May 1883 and was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(GCB), having previously been a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was not however styled Sir Alexander Russell since he already held the higher title of Lord due to his father being first a Marquess and later a Duke.

Life

Russell married Anne Emily Worsley Holmes, daughter of Sir Leonard Worsley Holmes, 9th Baronet, on 3 July 1844. They had two children: * Alexander Gordon Russell (11 July 1854 – 4 June 1917); became a captain in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. * Leonard George Russell (6 June 1858 – 7 April 1946); became a major in the

. Lady Alexander Russell died in October 1906. Russell survived her by only three months and died at Woodeaton,

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, in January 1907, aged 85. She is buried with her husband in the churchyard of

St Michael's, Chenies St Michael's Church at Chenies, Buckinghamshire, is a Grade I listed Anglican parish church in the Diocese of Oxford in England. It is not of great architectural interest but stands in an attractive position in the Chess Valley near the Chenies ...

Ancestry

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Alexander 1821 births 1907 deaths Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath British Army generals British Army personnel of the Crimean War Younger sons of dukes King's Regiment (Liverpool) officers Rifle Brigade officers People from Woburn, Bedfordshire Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

A Military personnel from Bedfordshire