Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Russell, William (1822-1892)
RUSSELL, Sir WILLIAM (1822–1892), lieutenant-general, born at Calcutta on 5 April 1822, was only son of Sir William Russell, M.D. (1773–1839), first baronet, of Charlton Park, Gloucestershire, by his second wife, Jane Eliza, daughter of Major-general James Doddington Sherwood.
The father, born at Edinburgh on 29 May 1773, was sixth son of John Russell of Roseburne, near Edinburgh, a writer to the signet. After taking the degree of M.D. at Edinburgh, he migrated to Calcutta, where he acquired a large practice. Returning to London before 1832, he distinguished himself in that year by his energy during the cholera epidemic, and was for his services created a baronet.
The son, who succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death on 26 Sept. 1839, obtained a commission as cornet in the 7th hussars on 2 July 1841, became lieutenant on 27 Feb. 1846, captain on 16 April 1847, and major on 13 Aug. 1857. He was master of the horse (1849–50), and aide-de-camp (1850–2) to Lord Clarendon when lord lieutenant of Ireland. From 1857 to 1859 he was M.P. for Dover.
He saw much active service during the latter part of the Indian mutiny. Russell's regiment, the 7th hussars, joined the force under Outram at the Alambagh in February 1858, and was at the siege of Lucknow. After the capture of Lucknow it formed part of the column with which Sir Hope Grant defeated the rebels at Barree on 13 April. Russell was in command of it, and was mentioned in Grant's despatch (London Gazette, 7 July). In the action at Nawabganj, where some of the rebels attacked the British in rear with a courage of which Grant said that he ‘never witnessed anything more magnificent,’ the 7th hussars, under Russell, charged twice through the enemy and dispersed them. In reporting the action at Sultanpore (22 Aug.), Grant spoke of the assistance he had received from Russell, who was in command of the cavalry and superintended the outpost duty. The 7th hussars, under Russell, formed part of the field force under Horsford in the latter part of 1858, and particularly distinguished themselves (as Sir Colin Campbell reported) on 30 Dec. in the pursuit of the enemy to the Raptee. They crossed the Raptee and helped to drive the rebels into Nepaul in February 1859. Russell was made brevet lieutenant-colonel on 20 July 1858, and became lieutenant-colonel of his regiment on 12 Nov. He was made C.B. on 11 May 1859, and received the Indian medal with clasp.
Having returned to England, he was elected in the liberal interest for Norwich in 1860 and retained his seat till 1874. In 1861 he exchanged from the 7th to the 14th hussars, and on 29 Nov. 1864 he was placed on half pay.
In 1871 Russell published a ‘Scheme for the Reorganisation of the Land Forces.’ He proposed to have a general militia enlisted for one year's service, from which men should pass either into the standing army for twelve years, or into the local militia for five years. In both cases they would afterwards pass into the reserves. With a general militia of fifty thousand men he reckoned on maintaining a standing army of 150,000, a local militia of 125,000, and reserves of 300,000, in addition to the volunteers.
He became lieutenant-general on 1 July 1881, and died in London on 19 March 1892. He married the only daughter of Robert Wilson of Aberdeen, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, William.
[Foster's Baronetage; Times, 22 March 1892; Malleson's History of the Indian Mutiny; Behan's Bulletins from the London Gazette.]