René Edward De Russy

René Edward De Russy (1789-1865) - Born at sea 22 Feb 1789 near the French colony of Saint-Domingue (Haiti). A career U.S. Army officer and engineer who supervise the construction of major U.S. coastal fortifications and served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. Died 21 Nov 1865 while on active duty at San Francisco.

File:Brigadier General René Edward De Russy.jpg General René Edward De Russy	René Edward De Russy Grave Moument at West Point Cemetery

He entered the United States Military Academy and graduated in the Class of 1812 ranking 18th out of 18. He was appointed a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

He served in the War of 1812 on the Canada border and in New York including the Battles of Chrystler's Field and Plattsburg. Following the War he worked on the construction of coastal fortifications at New York Harbor, the Gulf of Mexico and at Fort Monroe, Virginia. From 1825 to 1833 he served as Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy. During the U.S. Civil War he served as the Superintending Engineer for the defenses of the west coast and San Francisco. He died on active duty in San Francisco on 21 Nov 1865 (as recorded in the U.S. Army Death Register). He was interred in West Point Cemetery, Section 34, Row F, Grave 255.

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Father: Thomas Francois Benoit DeRussy (1762-1822)

Mother: Magdelaine Emilie Bessiere (1770-1843)

Marriage 1:

• Harriet Elizabeth Taylor (1805-1834) married 28 Jan 1826, Hunterdon, New Jersey
  • Gustavus Adolphus DeRussy (1818-1891)
  • John Allen Derussy (1826-1850) died 8 Jul 1850 at Fort Monroe
  • Clara Louisa Derussy (1829-1900)
  • Emily Caroline Derussy (1831-????)

Marriage 2:

• Ann Elida Denniston (18??-184?) married 11 Apr 1837 in Albany New York
  • Issac Denniston Derussy (1840-1923)
  • Rene Edward Derussy (1844-????)

Marriage 3:

• Helen A Maxwell (1832-1908) married 18 Jan 1851 in New York, born 1833
  • Laura DeRussy (1853-1923)
  • Helen M DeRussy (1855-1901)
  • Fannie C DeRussy (1857-1925)
  • Sarah W DeRussy (1860-1935)

Assignments:

• (1807-1812) Cadet, United States Military Academy
• (1812-1815) War of 1812
  • (1812) 2nd Lt. (10 Jun 1812), 1st Lt. (6 Jul 1812)
  • (1814) Bvt. Capt. (11 Sep 1814), For Gallant Conduct at the Battle of Plattsburg, New York
  • (1815) Captain (9 Feb 1815), Chief Engineer General Macomb's Division on Lake Champlain
• (1816-1818) Captain, U.S. Corps of Engineers, constructing Fort at Rouses Point
• (1817‑1821) Captain, Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Defenses of New York Harbor
• (1821-1825) Bvt. Major (11 Sep 1824), Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Defenses of the Gulf of Mexico
• (1825-1833) Major (22 Dec 1830), Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Defenses of the New York Harbor
• (1833-1838) Bvt. Lt. Colonel (30 Jun 1834), Corps of Engineers, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
• (1838-1854) Lt. Colonel (7 Dec 1838), Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Construction of Fort Monroe and Fort Calhoun
• (1854-1857) Lt. Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Construction at Entrance to San Francisco harbor
• (1857-1857) Lt. Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer, Construction of Fort at Ship Island
• (1858-1861) Lt. Colonel, Command of the Corps of Engineers at Washington DC
• (1861-1865) U.S. Civil War
  • (1861-1865) Colonel (3 Mar 1863), Brig. General (13 Mar 1865), Corps of Engineers, Superintending Engineer of Construction of the Fortifications of San Francisco harbor and the West Coast
• (1865) Died (21 Nov 1865), in San Francisco, California

Sources:

• Cullum Register - René Edward De Russy
• Wikipedia - René Edward De Russy
• Find a Grave - Rene Edward DeRussy