Abstract:
Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. was a captain of artillery for Confederate forces and later governor of North Carolina. Born in 1845 south of Wilmington, Russell joined the Confederate army and rose to the rank of Captain. During the war, however, Russell began to despise the Confederate government and openly discussed his views. After attacking another Captain over conscription, Russell was court martialed and eventually resigned. Following the war, Russell worked as a Supreme Court Justice and was elected governor in 1896. While he fought for racial equality, his personality and paternalistic attitude alienated voters, both black and white.