Namesake:
Rear Admiral John H. Russell
Rear Admiral John Henry Russell was appointed a midshipman
on 10th of September 1841. As a junior officer, he served in
ships such as CYANE and UNITED STATES in the Pacific, ST. MARY'S
in the Gulf of Mexico, the store ship RELIEF, the mail steamer
GEORGIA, various other ships of the North Pacific Exploring
Expedition, in VINCENNES as navigator when she made her cruise
into the Arctic, and in the WABASH in the Mediterranean.
RADM Russell is most famous for his Civil War heroics in
Pensacola Harbor. In command of four small boats, then LT
Russell passed through the heavy pounding of shore batteries.
After his own coxswain was shot, he grabbed the tiller of his
boat and led 100 men to the Confederate Privateer JUDAH. He and
his men then jumped to the deck of JUDAH and destroyed it by
fire. For his actions he received the following commendation
from the Secretary of the Navy: " An expedition, executed
in the face of an enemy so much superior in numbers, with such
brilliancy gallantry and success, can not pass without the
special recognition of the Department. To those who were engaged
in it, not only the Department, but the whole country, it is
indebted for one of the brightest pages in that has adorned our
naval record during this rebellion. Indeed, it may be placed,
without disparagements, side by side with the fairest that adorn
our early naval history. "The expedition will give renown,
not only to those who were immediately concerned in it, but to
the Navy itself - it will inspire others in the service to
emulation--its recital hereafter will thrill the heart with
admiration. "The Department will cherish the recollection
of the exploit, and desires you to express to the officers,
seamen and marines who participated in it, its highest
admiration of their conduct."
As a reward for this brilliant enterprise, LT Russell was
given command of the gunboat KENNEBEC in which he rendered
distinguished war service for eight months on the Mississippi
River, especially in operations resulting in the passage of
Farragut's fleet past Forts Jackson and St. Philip. He further
participated in the first engagements at Grand Gulf, Port
Houston, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg. The KENNEBEC was
subsequently employed under Russell on blockade duty on the Gulf
Coast. Following the KENNEBEC, he commanded the steamer PONTIAC
with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, served on ordnance
duty at Washington and commanded CYANE, the same ship on which
he served as a midshipman.
After the Civil War, his duties were at the naval yards at
Norfolk and Mare Island, and in command of the USS OSSIPEE on
the pacific Coast. In September 1870, after the OSSIPEE rode out
a hurricane, she went in search of the boats of the steamer
CONTINENTAL which had foundered off the coast of lower
California. The lives of a number of the CONTINENTAL crew were
saved. Following the OSSIPEE, CAPT Russell commanded USS
PLYMOUTH, North Atlantic Squadron and commanded USS POWATAN,
special duty.
After serving several years at the Washington Navy Yard
and at the Navy Department, RADM Russell served as Commandant of
the Mare island Navy Yard from 1883 to 1886. He retired from
active service on the 27th of August 1886 and died on the 1st of
April, 1897.
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