General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

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 from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

Background

Russell was born at Woburn, Bedfordshire, the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and his second wife, Lady Georgina (or Georgiana) Gordon, daughter of

Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon, KT (18 June 1743 – 17 June 1827), styled Marquess of Huntly until 1752, was a Scottish nobleman, described by Kaimes as the "greatest subject in Britain", and was also known as the Cock o' the North, the tr ...

, 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. However, his best-known works are the lion sculptures at the bas ...

, who conducted a lengthy affair with the Duchess of Bedford. He was the half-brother of

Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural M ...

, Lord George Russell and John Russell, 1st Earl Russell and the full brother of

Lord Edward Russell Admiral Lord Edward Russell, (24 April 1805 – 21 May 1887) was a British naval officer and Whig politician. Early life He was the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, and his second wife Lady Georgina Gordon, and was the younger half- ...

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 Alexander ...

.General Lord Sir Alexander George Russell
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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 This is a list of officers who commanded the Regular Troops of the British Army in Canada until 1906, when the last British garrison was withdrawn. From 1875 there was a separate commander of the Canadian Militia. This officer was responsible to ...

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 George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...

(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 land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

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

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

Woodeaton Woodeaton or Wood Eaton is a village and civil parish about northeast of Oxford, England. It also has a special needs school called Woodeaton Manor School. Archaeology There was a Romano-Celtic temple north of where the parish church now stand ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, in January 1907, aged 85. She is buried with her husband in the churchyard of St Michael's, 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 A Military personnel from Bedfordshire