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John L. Russell fought with the 6th Arkansas Company C., at Franklin. He was part of Cleburne’s Division, Govan’s Brigade. Company C was known as the Dallas Rifles.
The 6th Arkansas also fought with the 2nd-15th, 5th-13th, 7th, 8th, and 19th-24th Arkansas regiments. This regiment saw heavy action around the Cotton Gin at Franklin.
The 6th Arkansas regimental flag looked like this is in the Autumn of 1862.
Picture Credit: Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy (p. 259).
Forty-three of Govan’s Brigade are buried at McGavock, fifteen of those are from the 6th Arkansas; the most of all the Arkansas regiments.
Speaking of the action the Arkansas regiments saw at Franklin, including Russell’s 6th, Jacobson writes:
“Rebel troops, likely from Cleburne’s Division, pounced on the battery’s four guns [i.e., the guns of the 1st Battery, Kentucky Light Artillery] and hurriedly began turning them around to fire on the Federals. But the Confederates had a serious problem on their hands. When the Yankee artillerists had bounded away, they took with them the friction primers needed to fire the rifled guns. The crafty Southern infantrymen looked to improvise. A Federal officer nearby saw them pouring gunpowder ‘from their musket cartridges’ into the vent holes.”
A friction primer (above) was a small brass tube filled with powder, inserted in the vent and used to ignite the main charge.
Frank Gray and John Russell of Co. C. 6th Arkansas Infantry. Twenty Nine year old John Russell was the Uncle of 21 year old Frank Gray. They are buried side by side in the Arkansas Section, Grave 12 & 11 respectfully. Source attribute for this info: T. Burgess.
Extra notes:
According to this web site: John L. Russell was a private when he enlisted on 3 June 1861 at Little Rock, Arkansas; in the Dallas Rifles. He was transferred from Co I, 30 June 1862. Russell was captured 10 October 1862 at Harrodsburg, KY. Then sent to Vicksburg, MS for exchange 5 Dec 1862. He was 26 years old when he was exchanged 22 Dec 1862.
Additional reading:
Calvin L. Collier, First In - Last Out: The Capitol Guards, Arkansas Brigade (Unit history and muster rolls for Company A.)
Captain Starke H. Oliver, 24th Alabama, in his Confederate officer’s uniform, holding gloves in his left hand, resting his left elbow on a tall covered stand on which lies his kepi.
Oliver was from a noted Mobile, Alabama family and undoubtedly knew Miss Sue Tarleton as well as Patrick R. Cleburne.
Oliver was mentioned in dispatches as having provided personal care to a mortally wounded Union artillery officer during the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. Oliver eventually became the commanding officer of the 24th Alabama, holding the temporary appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Oliver is mentioned in the Official Records of the War of Rebellion.
The 24th Alabama was organized at Mobile in August, 1861. In April it was ordered to Corinth, and was under fire at Farmington, May 9th, and Blackland, June 4, 1862. It was in the Kentucky campaign, but did not become engaged; lost heavily at Murfreesboro, and was distinguished at Chickamauga, where it lost over 30 per cent of its number, and also at Missionary Ridge.
It was with General Johnston in the campaign of 1864, and fought in most of the battles from Dalton to Jonesboro.
It was at Columbia, Tenn., November 29th; at Franklin, November 30th, and at Nashville, December 15th and 16th. Capt. W. B. Smith and Lieutenant Cooper were killed at Murfreesboro, Capt. Wm. J. O’Brien at Chickamauga, and Capt. John B. Hazard, mortally wounded at Missionary Ridge, was taken prisoner and died at Johnson’s Island.
Its commanders were Cols. William A. Buck and Newton N. Davis, Lieut.-Cols. Benjamin F. Sawyer, Wm. B. Dennett, Geo. A. Jennison and Wm. M. LeBaron, Maj. Junius J. Pierce. Capts. S. H. Oliver and Thos. J. Kimbell were at times in command of regiment. Source: Confederate Military History, vol. VIII, p. 131.
