Samuel Rex Russel

Son of a wealthy real estate agent, in 1860 he was a 20 (21) year old living with his parents, 4 siblings, and 2 servants in Pottsville, PA. Probably a member of the Good Intent Fire Company and of the Washington Artillery, a local militia battery, he enlisted with them for 3 months' service as Company H, 25th Pennsylvania Infantry and mustered in Harrisburg as a Corporal on 18 April 1861. They were among the First Defenders at Washington, DC. He was promoted to First Sergeant of his Company on 5 June 1861 and mustered out with them on 23 July.

He enrolled again and mustered in Pottsville on 23 September 1861 as 2nd Lieutenant of Company C, 96th Pennsylvania Infantry. They had originally organized as the Good Intent Light Artillery Company, and scrounged brass and had a cannon cast for that purpose, but they entered Federal service as an infantry company and their cannon was sent elsewhere.

Colonel Cake wrote of his actions at Crampton's Gap on 14 September 1862:

Lieutenant Russell, Company C, dispatched to bring Company B forward to the regimental line on the side of the mountain, displayed promptness, courage, and zeal in the discharge of his duty.

I must relate a little incident that I saw during our charge at Crampton's Gap, to show how reckless men get. As we were charging, and just before we reached the stone fence where the rebel were, we came to a field part containing corn and part grass, and two or three apple trees. As soon as we came to the apple tress, some of the men began knocking down the apples with their guns - all of this was done under a heavy fire of musketry, and within 60 yards of the rebels - after getting as many as they wanted, they came on eating and fighting.

He was appointed Captain of Company H on 1 May 1863 and mustered out with his Company on 21 October 1864.

By 1870 he was a coal dealer living in Pottsville. In 1880 he was the US Mail agent there.

His service basics from Bates1 and the Card File;2 also as Samuel R. Russel. Battle details from Colonel Cake’s Official Report, with the letter excerpt from his of 23 September from near Williamsport, MD, printed in the Pottsville Miner's Journal of 4 October 1862. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860-1880. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He is probably among the officers of the regiment photographed at Camp Northumberland in late 1861 or early 1862.

He married Annie E. Dougherty (1845-1930) in October 1866 and they had 9 children.

See more about the brass gun of the Good Intent Light Artillery in a fine blog post by Stu Richards.

06/10/1839; Pottsville, PA

07/17/1898; Philadelphia, PA; burial in Laurel Hill Cemetery West, Bala Cynwyd, PA