Gustaves DeRussy was the son of a military family; his father was
the Superintendent of West Point. He attended West Point but was
expelled in 1839. DeRussy married Frances Clitz, the daughter of
Captain John Clitz. He entered the U. S. Army in Virginia as a 2nd
Lieutenant of artillery during the Mexican War. DeRussy was brevetted
the rank of Captain for gallantry at Chapaltepec, Mexico. He served
as regimental quartermaster from 1848 to 1857 and was stationed
at Fort Monroe.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a Captain in the Artillery
Reserve. DeRussy was brevetted the rank of Captain the Artillery
for the Army of the Potomac. In June of 1862, he became the Chief
of Artillery for General Hooker’s division and served in the
Pennsylvania Campaign. He was brevetted Colonel of the 4th New York
Artillery on March 17, 1863.
DeRussy was brevetted the rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers
for gallantry at Fair Oaks, Virginia and for the Battle of Malvern
Hill. He later commanded the defenses of Washington, D. C., south
of the Potomac. His commission expired on July 4, 1866 and he was
reappointed and continued in service in the regular army as Colonel
until his retirement in Detroit in 1882.
Born: November 3, 1818
Died: May 29, 1891
Buried: Section G, Lot A
