He was elected Captain of Co. A. 21st Battalion, Georgia Cavalry May 8, 1862. Transferred to Co. A., 7th Regiment, Georgia Cavalry February 13, 1864 as Captain and later was promoted to Major.

Major Russell was wounded at Trevillian Station, Va. June 11, 1864.

The following is an account by a Yankee Leiutenant. (Contributed by Eric J. Wittenberg)

Lt. Preston of the 10th New York Cavalry, badly wounded while leading the decisive charge near the train station, suffered with his shattered leg. Carried to a field hospital, Preston joined other wounded men of both sides.

In the flickering light of the wood fire burning in the fireplace, Preston noticed a “handsome young Confederate major” from the 7th Georgia Cavalry named Whiteford D. Russell lying by his side. Russell had been shot through the spine and “was very weak and pale.”

Preston recalled that Russell was “a bright, intelligent looking man, who bore his sufferings with soldierly fortitude. He made mention of his family, and also spoke of the disastrous result of the day’s fighting to his regiment.”

Major Whiteford D. Russell lingered for three days before finally dying on June 14, 1864.