Gilbert Christian Russell (May 18, 1782 - May 25, 1861) was an American military officer who served during the Creek War. Born in Virginia, Russell moved to Alabama as a young man. During the Creek War, he was the commander of the 3rd regiment of the United States Army. His soldiers reinforced Fort Claiborne and, in December 1813, launched an invasion of the core of the Creek Nation which culminated in his victory over the Creek around the village known to the American soldiers as Holy Ground Town. Russell County, Alabama was named in his honor.
| Persondata | |
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| Name | Russell, Gilbert C. |
| Alternative names | Russell Sr., Gilbert Christian |
| Short description | Scot-Irish heritage, son of Battle of Kings Mountain, Maj. Andrew Russell, Jr., and Margaret Christian the grandchild of Gilbert Christian of Beverly Manor, 1730's Christian's Creek, Augusta County, Virginia. The home of his brother, Andrew Russell, III, Clerk of Court, still stands across from a defunct girl's school, Abingdon, Va. Wife Magaret Hollinger, daughter of Irish, Adam Hollinger of Hollinger's Island, off modern Mobile, and Mme. Marie Josephine de Juzan Hollinger, who's tomb behind the Mobile Public Library says she lived Mobile under four flags (escorted Gen. Lafayette at the Mobile ball), near her, her other son-in-law, U.S. Senator, Col. George Washington Owen, Mayor of Mobile, who's daughter wed Adm/Gen. Raphael Semmes, CSN, of the CSS Alabama. As C.O. of Ft. Pickering below Memphis, Tenn., he sequested his friend Capt. Meriwether Lewis (I suspect a manic-depressive?) until sober and accused Lewis' escort of attempting to keep Lewis intoxicated. Investigated Lewis' death and reported there on. Executed "Six Tenn." (one really from Ky) militiamen for Gen. Jackson, the "Col. Russell" in some of the six versions of the anti-President Jackson "Six Coffins" posters. West Point archives has two letters from Col. Russell asking that his wife's step-mother's brother, David Moniac (son of Creek chief Samuel "Sam" Moniac, Sr. (German name pronounced "Mann-ick") who signed 1790 NYC peace treaty with Pres. Washington). Sam Sr. & Jr. died Pass Christian in Indian removal). Appt. Ens. from Tenn. 2nd U.S. Inf. 1803, Capt. 7th 1808, Maj. 5th, 1809, LtCol. 3rd 1811, Col. 20th 1814, Col. 3rd 1814, demobilized Mobile 1815. As civilian contractor, supplied early bricks to Fort Morgan (Ft. Morgan's USACE Maj. Cornelius Augustus Ogden, light house builder, kinsman via Malone), but was denied payment. Georgetown, D.C., petitioned Congress for payment, there enrolled wife's step-brother David Moniac in school. Will try to up-load Russell's picture given to me by Mobile Malone kin, except I burnt-in some edges. Sorry, can't figure out how to do it? I can e-mail to someone who does. Plus photos of Maj. David Moniac's Bushnell National Cemetery memorial stone I did paperwork on; on obverse, Gen. Jesup's "David was as brave as any man who has drawn a sword and faced the enemy". West Point's first Native American (dad 1/4 Indian) graduate. From National Archives, obit of wife Mrs. Margaret Hollinger Russell, "Died, at the summer residence of her son-in-law, J. D. (John Duncan) Fowler, Esq., Bay St. Louis, on Sunday, the 5th inst., Margaret H., widow of Col. Gilbert C. Russell, aged 76 years. Thus at an advanced age, honored, respected and beloved by all who ever knew her--surrounded by many friends and members of her family, but above all, attended by the gentle hands and loving hearts of her daughters, one whose life-story would be an epitome of Southwestern history for the past 75 years. Born in Mobile, in 1798, the subject of this brief sketch grew to womanhood in what is is now Southeastern Alabama, and was here married (one-week wedding celebration, Hollinger's Island) in 1815 to Col. Russell of the 5th U.S. Infantry. Of gentle origin herself and wedded to a young and brilliant officer of distinguished family, a protege of President Madison, companion-in-arms of Jackson, Gaines, and Scott--a friend and associate of the men noted in arms, letters, and politics who illustrated the second grand epoch of our country, and possessed of ample fortune...". I descend their daughter, Ann Maria Russell, who wed Capt. Edward Malone, Sr., CSA, son of Thomas Malone, Sr. (son of Rev. War Ens. Wood Malone of Malone's Mill Creek, Warren Co., N.C.) 1803 U.S. Land Agent, U.S. Magistrate, Asst. Indian Indian Agent, Freemason, Ft. St. Stephens, Ala., who with Capt. Edm. P. Gaines, arrested Aaron Burr, and escorted Burr to trial, Richmond, Va.
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| Date of birth | May 18, 1782 |
| Place of birth | Abingdon, Virginia |
| Date of death | May 25, 1861, Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile |
| Place of death | Mobile, Alabama |