Richard Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Richard Montgomery was an Irish
-born soldier
who first served in the British Army
. He later became a brigadier-general
in the Continental Army
during the American Revolutionary War
and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada
.
Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland. In 1754, he enrolled at Trinity College, Dublin
, and two years later joined the British army to fight in the French and Indian War
. He steadily rose through the ranks, serving in North America
and then the Caribbean. After the war he was stationed at Fort Detroit
during Pontiac's War, following which he returned to Britain for health reasons. In 1773, Montgomery returned to the Thirteen Colonies
, married Janet Livingston, and began farming.
When the American Revolutionary War broke out, Montgomery took up the Patriot
cause, and was elected to the New York Provincial Congress
in May 1775. In June 1775, he was commissioned as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army
. After Phillip Schuyler became too ill to lead the invasion of Canada, Montgomery took over. He captured Fort St. Johns and then Montreal
in November 1775, and then advanced to Quebec City
where he joined another force under the command of Benedict Arnold
. On December 31, he led an attack on the city
, but was killed during the battle. The British found his body and gave it an honorable burial. It was moved to New York City
in 1818.
. His father, Thomas Montgomery
, was a former British Army
Officer and a member of the Irish Parliament
. He was a brother of Colonel Alexander Montgomery (1720–1800)
and a cousin of Colonel Alexander Montgomery (1686–1729)
, both Members of Parliament for County Donegal. Another first cousin was an M.P. for County Monaghan,also named Alexander Montgomery (died 1785)
.
Richard Montgomery spent most of his childhood near Donegal
, where he learned to hunt, ride, shoot, and fence. Thomas Montgomery made sure that Montgomery received a good education; he learned French
, Latin
, and rhetoric
, and attended a school outside of Belfast
. In 1754, the same year that the French and Indian War
began in North America
, Montgomery enrolled in Trinity College
.
Despite his great love of knowledge Montgomery did not receive a degree. He was urged by his father and his oldest brother Alexander to join the military, which he did on September 21, 1756. His father purchased an ensign
's commission for Montgomery, who joined the 17th Regiment of Foot
.
and prepare to be deployed overseas. On May 5, Montgomery and the 17th Foot sailed from Cork
for Halifax, Nova Scotia
, arriving in July. The British had planned an attempt on Louisbourg
but the operation was called off, and they sailed instead for winter quarters in New York
. In 1758, the 17th Foot was sent back to Halifax, once again with the goal of taking Louisbourg.
The British commanders, Jeffery Amherst
and James Abercromby drew up a plan to assault the French at Louisbourg, which is located on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island
, north of Halifax. The French garrison consisted of only 800 men, while the British force had 13,142 troops supported by 23 ships of the line
and 13 frigate
s. On June 8, 1758, the attack on the fort
began. Montgomery landed on the beach under heavy fire and ordered his troops to advance with fixed bayonet
s. The outer French defenses withdrew back toward the city. Montgomery's unit and the rest of the British force chased the French back to a point just outside of the Fort's guns. At this point, the British prepared to besiege the city. Due to bad weather, artillery and other materials needed for the siege took several weeks to arrive onshore. Montgomery had his men dig entrenchments and build breastworks
, also ordering his men stay alert to the possibility of a French attack. On July 9, the French attempted a breakout, but it failed. On July 26, following a series of actions resulting in the destruction of most their fleet, the French surrendered. General Amherst was impressed by Montgomery's action during the siege, and promoted him to Lieutenant
.
On July 8, 1758, James Abercromby attacked Fort Carillon on Lake Champlain
, but was repelled with heavy losses. In August, Montgomery and the 17th foot sailed to Boston
, marched to join with Abercromby's forces in Albany
and then moved to Lake George
. On November 9, Abercromby was recalled; Amherst replaced him as commander-in-chief. The British high command, for the 1759 campaign, developed a plan for a three-pronged attack into Canada, in which forces including the 17th foot would assault Fort Carillon and also capture Fort St. Frédéric
, near Crown Point, New York
. Under Amherst's command, Montgomery and the 17th Foot participated in the capture of Fort Carillon
. While the army was gathering prior to the battle, Montgomery's company was on guard duty; he ordered his men to remain vigilant for French and Indian ambush parties. On May 9 his suspicions proved correct when 12 men from the 17th were attacked. Montgomery and the 17th met stiff resistance at first. Montgomery ordered that his men were not to fire at night, fearing they would shoot their comrades. On July 21, the army began its movement toward Fort Carillon; by the 26th they were in position outside the fort's walls, from which the French had already withdrawn most of their forces to Fort St. Frédéric. That night, after some exchange of cannonfire during the day, the French blew up Carillon's powder magazine, and Fort St. Frédéric the next day, and withdrew to the far end of Lake Champlain.
The 17th, which was placed under the command of Major General Robert Monckton
late in 1759, spent the winter on garrison duty in the Mohawk River
valley. On May 15, 1760, Monckton named Montgomery as regimental adjutant
, a position awarded by the commanding officer to the most promising lieutenant in the regiment. In August, the 17th Foot joined with the Lake Champlain Division, and set out from Crown Point to participate in a three-pronged attack on Montreal. The 17th Foot captured the Île aux Noix
and Fort Chambly
before meeting with the two other divisions outside Montreal. The Marquis de Vaudreuil
, Canada
's French governor, seeing that the city could not be defended, surrendered the city without a fight. With the fall of Montreal, all of Canada fell into British hands. In the summer of 1761, Montgomery and the 17th Foot marched from Montreal to Staten Island
.
. In November of 1761, Montgomery and the 17th set sail for Barbados
, where they joined other units from North America. On January 5, 1762, the force left Barbados and headed towards the French island of Martinique
, arriving there in mid-January. The French, having received word of an impending attack, had built up their defenses. A beachhead was quickly established, and the main offensive began on January 24. The French outer defenses were overrun and the survivors fled to the capital, Fort Royal
. The British prepared to launch an assault on the fort, but the French, seeing the situation was hopeless, surrendered. On February 12, the entire island surrendered. After the fall of Martinique, the rest of the French West Indies, Grenada
, Saint Lucia
, and Saint Vincent
, fell to the British without a fight. On May 6, 1762, in reward for his actions in Martinique, Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell
promoted Montgomery to captain
and gave him command of one of the ten companies of the 17th Foot.
Spain
entered the war in 1761 as an ally of France. The British high command believed that capturing Havana
would destroy the lines of communication from Spain to its colonial empire
. On June 6, the assaulting British forces arrived seven miles off the shore of Havana. The 17th Foot, including Montgomery's company, was to capture Moro Fort
, the key to the Spanish defense of the city. British battleships bombarded the fort, silencing all but two Spanish guns. On July 30, Montgomery and the 17th Foot stormed and captured the fort. In late August 1762, Montgomery and the 17th Foot were sent to New York
, where they remained for the rest of the war. The conflict was ended by the signing of the Treaty of Paris
on February 10, 1763.
chief named Pontiac
organized 18 Native American tribes that attacked British military and civilian settlements beginning in April 1763. The tribes captured eight British forts and forced the evacuation of two more. General Amherst ordered the 17th to Albany in June 1763 to assist in combating the outbreak of hostilities.
En route to Albany, the ship carrying Montgomery up the Hudson River ran aground near Clermont Manor
, seat of the politically powerful Livingston family
. While the ship was re-floated, the Livingstons played host to the officers who were aboard the vessel. Montgomery was at this time introduced to Robert Livingston's 20-year-old daughter Janet. While it has never transpired exactly what happened between them at this time, Janet noticed that the young Montgomery was not with the regiment (having been given leave to return to England early) when it returned to New York.
The 17th was first assigned to garrison duty at Fort Stanwix
, where Montgomery remained until 1764. In 1764, Montgomery applied to Colonel Campbell and General Thomas Gage
for leave to return to England, as his service in the Caribbean had taken a toll on his health. Gage granted the leave, directing Colonel Campbell to give it as soon as possible. Campbell, whose officer ranks had been depleted in the Caribbean campaign, would only grant the leave after the upcoming expedition.
The British in 1764 organized two expeditions to combat the Native uprising. Montgomery and the 17th were on one of these expeditions, commanded by John Bradstreet
, that went to Fort Niagara
in July, where they were stationed for one month, while Sir William Johnson
organized and held a major conference with Natives from around the Great Lakes
. The conference drew more than 2,000 Natives; Bradstreet's forces stayed there as a deterrent to rumored Native attacks. They then marched to Fort Detroit
, which had been subject to a surprise attack earlier, arriving in August. For several weeks, Montgomery stayed at the fort, helping to improve its defenses, and also gaining an understanding of how to interact with the Natives. In September, Bradstreet left Fort Detroit for Sandusky
, to meet with the Shawnee and the Delaware; while the 17th remained on garrison duty at Fort Detroit and Fort Michilimackinac
, Montgomery, whose leave had been granted, accompanied him. On October 3, Montgomery and several other officers met with Thomas King, an Oneida
chief. King had accompanied a detachment of Bradstreet's men on operations in Illinois; he reported that the Natives were quite hostile there, and had recommended against military action against them. Two days later, at a larger conference with Bradstreet and Iroquois
leaders, Bradstreet explained to them that the British would not be attacking the Shawnee and Delaware. Bradstreet then released Montgomery, who traveled first to Johnson Hall and then New York, where he delivered dispatches from Bradstreet to Gage before departing for England.
, Edmund Burke
, and Charles James Fox
. While stationed in Britain, Montgomery spent much of his time discussing politics with these three men. He began to question the British Government's policies. In 1768, with the 17th Foot back in England, he began a recruitment drive; before it began, his company was only 17 men. He also became engaged; however, his fiancee proved to be untrue, and the engagement was broken.
After being passed over for promotion in 1771, likely because of his political affiliations, he sold his commission for about £1,500 and left the military in 1772. He then bought scientific instruments (microscopes, a barometer and hygrometer), surveying tools, and draftsmen's tools, and sailed for America in July of that year. He had decided to never marry or take up arms again, and to become a gentleman farmer.
, 13 miles north of New York City
. While adjusting to his surroundings, Montgomery renewed his acquaintance with Janet Livingston, who later recounted that "politeness led him to make me a visit". After receiving permission from her father, he and Janet were married on July 24, 1773.
After their marriage, Montgomery leased his farm to a tenant and moved to his wife's residence, “Grassmere,” a small house in Rhinebeck, New York. Montgomery bought some surrounding land and set to work fencing, ploughing fields, building a grain mill, and laying the foundation for a larger home. He said that he was "Never so happy in all my life", but followed that up by saying "This cannot last; it cannot last." Three months after their marriage, Janet told him of a dream she had in which Montgomery was killed in a duel by his brother. Montgomery replied by saying "I have always told you that my happiness is not lasting...Let us enjoy it as long as we may and leave the rest to God."
Because Montgomery was now tied to the Livingston family
, who supported the Patriot cause, he began to turn against the British government, seeing himself as an American instead of an Englishman. He came to believe that the British government was being oppressive and was acting like a tyrannical parent-state.
. Although Montgomery had only lived in New York for two years and had not sought political involvement, he was well known and respected in the area and he felt obliged to attend. He was reluctant to go, but nonetheless went to New York City, 80 miles south of Rhinebeck.
The first session began on May 22. On May 26, 97 delegates, including Montgomery, signed a resolution legitimizing its authority. Montgomery's views were those of a moderate Patriot. He believed that the American Government was wrong, but hoped for an honorable reconciliation. Gradually, the faction of the Congress that remained loyal
to the King lost its influence, with some not participating on a regular basis. Montgomery was selected to serve in a site selection committee to decide the placement of military defensive positions in New York, and was also involved in organizing the provincial militia and securing its supplies.
as Commander-in-Chief of the newly formed Continental Army
on June 15, 1775, the Second Continental Congress
asked the New York Provincial Government to select two men for service in the army. One would be a Major General
, the other a Brigadier General
. The assembly favored Philip Schuyler
as the Major General. Montgomery expressed concern over this, as he did not believe that Schuyler had enough combat experience for such an appointment. Montgomery wrote that "Phil Schuyler was mentioned to me.....His consequence in the province makes him a fit subject for an important trust — but has he strong nerves? I could wish to have that point well ascertained with respect to any man so employed." Although Montgomery knew he was under consideration for Brigadier General, he did not publicly show any desire for the appointment. Nonetheless, Schuyler was appointed Major General, and Montgomery Brigadier General, on June 22. Montgomery was ranked 2nd in command of all the Brigadier Generals.
In view of this appointment, he said, "The Congress having done me the honor of electing me brigadier-general in their service, is an event which must put an end, for awhile, perhaps for ever, to the quiet scheme of life I had prescribed for myself; for, though entirely unexpected and undesired by me, the will of an oppressed people, compelled to choose between liberty and slavery, must be obeyed."
, where the Hudson River and the northern lakes could supply the army. A force was quickly assembled at Fort Ticonderoga
and Schuyler left to take command of the army on July 4. Montgomery stayed in Albany for several more weeks making the final arrangements for the invasion. His wife followed him as far north as Saratoga
, where he told her "You shall never have cause to blush for your Montgomery."
Through July and early August, Montgomery and Schuyler continued to organize their force, raising the men and materials needed for an invasion. While they organized, Washington decided to expand the invasion, ordering Benedict Arnold
to lead another invasion force that would invade Quebec from Maine
. It was to join with Schuyler's army outside Quebec City
, where they would launch a joint attack on to the city.
, which, when complete, would give the British military access to the lake. Without asking permission from Schuyler, he moved 1,200 men north on the schooner Liberty
and the sloop Enterprise
. Montgomery wrote a letter to Schuyler, explaining the situation.
Schuyler returned to Fort Ticonderoga on August 30, ordered an additional 800 men to reinforce Montgomery, and then, despite being ill, set out to join Montgomery. He caught up with Montgomery on September 4 on Isle La Motte, where he assumed command and ordered the advance to continue to Île aux Noix, a small island in the Richelieu River
. Schuyler, whose health was poor, drafted a proclamation in which he called the Canadians "Friends and Countrymen", asking them to help expel the British from Canada.
On September 6, Montgomery led a probing force to Fort St. Johns
, the key to the British defense of Montreal. Montgomery led the main body of troops toward the fort through a marshy and heavily wooded area. A flanking party led by Captain Matthew Mead was ambushed by 100 Native Americans allied to the British. The party held its ground, forcing the ambushing Natives to fall back to the fort. Montgomery, fearing that the British force was larger than he had anticipated, called off operations for the rest of the day and withdrew his force to a spot beyond the range of the British guns. Believing that the fort could not be captured quickly, Schuyler recalled Montgomery's force and fortified Île aux Noix.
Schuyler's health declined, so Montgomery assumed command of the daily functions of the army. On September 10, a larger force of 1,700 men led by Montgomery moved toward the fort. In the swampy area around the fort, it was so dark that two parties of Americans ran into each other; each feared the other to be the British, and both fled. Montgomery ran to intercept them and ended the flight. As they advanced toward the fort, the force came under British grapeshot
fire. One party of Americans attacked the British breastworks, inflicting 2 casualties, after which they fell back. The next morning, Montgomery called a council of war, in which it was agreed to make another attack on the fort. However, word spread that a British warship was advancing up the river, and half the New England troops fled out of fright. Montgomery, believing his force could no longer take the fort, retreated back to Île aux Noix. Montgomery, furious at the flight of the New England troops, asked Schuyler to appoint a court-martial board. Meanwhile, Schuyler's health had not improved. He left for Ticonderoga on the 16th to recover, giving full control of the operation to Montgomery.
, Montgomery continued to receive reinforcements. He granted leaves to commanders who he felt were not fit for their position. He said "I hope we shall have none left but fighting men on whom I can rely."
On September 16, Montgomery organized another expedition against the British fort. In total, he had 1,400 men. He sent a naval component, with 1 schooner, 1 sloop, and 10 bateaux with 350 troops to counter any move by the British warship, Royal Savage. Montgomery took the rest of his force and sailed up the river, landing near St. Johns on September 17. The British garrison was 725 men commanded by Major Charles Preston, who just 3 years earlier had been Montgomery's superior officer in the British Army.
Montgomery and his troops spent the first night near the landing area, under light fire from the British guns. The next morning, he ordered Major Timothy Bedel
to occupy a position north of the fort, but when Montgomery saw that his men were apprehensive, he chose to lead the mission himself. As Montgomery led his troops, they came upon a fight between British troops and another American party. Montgomery took command of the skirmish and forced the British party back into the fort. Montgomery sent Bedel with a force to entrench themselves about a mile north of the fort. Montgomery then put other troops around the fort and began a siege.
Preston and the British forces had many more guns and much more ammunition than the Americans and thus achieved a 10-to-1 firepower advantage for the first few weeks. Montgomery concentrated his forces on improving the siege works. Within several days they had erected 2 batteries under consistent fire from the fort. On September 22, Montgomery was nearly killed while inspecting the breastworks when a cannonball from the fort shot past him, ripping his skirt and knocking him off the breastwork, although he landed on his feet. The troops observed that this "did not seem to hurt or frighten him."
The Americans continued to receive armaments from Ticonderoga, with guns arriving on September 21 and also on October 5. However, the artillery were positioned too far away to do much damage to the fort. With the arrival of the new guns, Montgomery planned to move the emphasis of the bombardment from the east side of the fort to the north side, where they would be closer. However, his officers unanimously rejected this plan, fearing that many men would desert due to the increased danger. Montgomery ordered that a new battery be built where the Royal Savage could be threatened. On October 14, the battery was completed and then used to sink the British ship.
In mid-October, James Livingston
, an American expatriate living near Chambly (and a relative of Montgomery's wife Janet), suggested to Montgomery that he might have better success attacking Fort Chambly, which, about 10 miles downstream, was weaker than St. Jean. Montgomery approved of the idea and ordered 350 men to take Chambly. On the night of October 16, two American guns were slipped past Fort St. Jean and moved towards Chambly. The next morning, these guns opened fire on Chambly. After two days of bombardment, holes were driven into the fort's walls and the chimmney had been knocked down. The British commander surrendered the fort, capturing 6 tons of gunpowder and 83 men. Montgomery sent the colors of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, who had been defending the fort, to Schuyler, the first standards of a British regiment captured in the war. Washington sent a letter of congratulations to Montgomery and commented that he hoped "that his next letter be dated from Montreal."
The capture of Chambly improved morale in the ranks of Montgomery's army, so much so that he went through with his plan to establish a battery north of Fort St. Jean, this time without opposition. While the Americans were constructing the batteries, the British heavily bombarded the American workers, but this resulted in few casualties. General Guy Carleton
, commanding the British forces at Montreal, realized that the situation at Fort St. Jean was becoming desperate. He personally led a relief force at the end of October, but American forces successfully prevented it from crossing the Saint Lawrence River south of Montreal.
On November 1, the new batteries erected north of the fort were complete. The Americans began to fire at the fort and continued to do so throughout the rest of the day. The British guns fired back, but were less effective. The American guns caused few casualties, but inflicted heavy structural damage inside of the fort. Morale in the besieged garrison fell as the bombardment (and declining rations) took their toll. At sundown, Montgomery ordered the firing to stop and sent a prisoner captured at Chambly inside with a letter asking for the garrison's surrender. A messenger sent from Carleton to Preston was captured during the night, in which Carleton ordered that Preston continue to hold out. On November 2, the British agreed to surrender with full military honors. They marched out of the fort on November 3, and were sent into the colonies where they were interned. The British had suffered 20 killed and 23 wounded, while the Americans had only five killed and six wounded throughout the siege.
Montgomery then turned the army toward Montreal. The march was difficult as there was snow, water, and ice on the ground and a winter storm struck several days after their departure. In an attempt to stop an escape of British troops from Montreal to Quebec, Montgomery sent a detachment to Sorel
where the force briefly clashed with British troops. The British troops quickly withdrew to their vessels in the St. Lawrence River. When Montgomery and the main army reached the outskirts of the city, Montgomery sent a messenger in demanding the surrender of the city or they would suffer bombardment. While negotiations for the city's surrender took place, Carleton fled down the St. Lawrence River in a small flotilla of ships. The city surrendered on November 13 and Montgomery and his army marched into the city without a shot being fired.
On November 19, the British flotilla was captured, but Carleton narrowly escaped and made his way to Quebec City. Montgomery's kind treatment toward the captured British prisoners caused several officers to express their concern. Montgomery saw this as a challenge to his authority and this, along with the lack of discipline in the army, caused Montgomery to threaten resignation. Letters from Washington in which Washington also expressed his troubles with the discipline of troops convinced Montgomery to continue his command.
On November 28, Montgomery and 300 men went aboard some of the captured ships and began to sail to Quebec City. On December 2, Montgomery joined Benedict Arnold
's force at Pointe aux Trembles
, 18 miles upriver from Quebec. On his arrival, Arnold turned over command of his forces to Montgomery. On December 3, Montgomery gave Arnold's men, who had marched through the Maine wilderness to Quebec City and suffered much hardship along the way, much-needed supplies, including clothing and other winter supplies taken from the captured British ships. The next day, the army moved toward the city; when they arrived, Montgomery ordered the city to be surrounded. On December 7, Montgomery sent an ultimatum to Carleton, demanding the surrender of the city. Carleton burned the letter. Several days later, Montgomery sent a letter into the city appealing the merchants telling them that they had come to liberate the civilians of Quebec. However, Carleton discovered the plan and quickly had the messenger arrested. Montgomery, wanting his message to reach the inhabitants of the city, then sent the proclamation over the wall with bows and arrows.
, despite the fact it offered little natural cover from returning fire. On December 15, the new batteries were ready and Montgomery sent a party of men under the flag of truce to ask for the city's surrender, however, they were turned away. Montgomery then resumed firing on the city, but the effect was little better. When the new batteries were hit by more effective fire from the British, Montgomery ordered their evacuation.
As the bombardment of the city proved to be unsuccessful, Montgomery then began to plan for an assault. Montgomery was to assault the Lower Town district, the part of the city near the river shore, while Arnold was to attack and take the Cape Diamond Bastion, a strong part of the city walls on the highest point of the rocky promontory. Montgomery believed that they should attack during a stormy night, therefore the British would not be able to see them. On December 27, the weather became stormy, and Montgomery ordered that the men prepare to attack, however, the storm soon subsided and Montgomery called off the attack. As Montgomery waited for a storm, he was forced to revise his plans, because a deserter communicated the original plan to the defenders. In the new plan, Montgomery would attack the Lower Town from the south and Arnold would attack the Lower Town from the north. After breaking through the walls, Montgomery and Arnold would meet up in the city and then attack and take the Upper Town, causing resistance to collapse. To increase their chance of surprise, Montgomery planned two feint
s. One detachment of troops (the 1st Canadian Regiment
under James Livingston) would set fire to one of the gates while another (under the command of Jacob Brown) would engage the guard at Cape Diamond Bastion and fire rockets to signal the start of the attack. While the feints were conducted, artillery would fire into the city. Although Montgomery was reluctant to attack, enlistments for Arnold's men were expiring on January 1, and he was concerned about losing their services.
On the night of December 30, a snowstorm struck. Montgomery issued the order to attack and the Americans began to move towards their designated positions. At 4:00 a.m., Montgomery saw the rocket flares and began to move his men around the city towards the lower town. Although the rockets were to signal the attack, they also alerted the British of the impending attack and the city's defenders rushed to their posts. Montgomery personally led the march to the Lower Town, as they descended down the steep slippery cliffs outside the city walls. At 6:00 a.m., Montgomery's force reached a palisade
at the edge of the Lower Town, which they had to saw through. After they sawed through a second palisade, Montgomery led the advance party through the opening. Seeing a two-story blockhouse
down the street, Montgomery led the troops toward it, encouraging the men by drawing his sword and shouting, "Come on, my good soldiers, your General calls upon you to come on." When the Americans were about 50 yards (45.7 m) away, the British forces in the blockhouse (30 Canadian militia and some seamen), opened fire with cannon, musket, and grapeshot. Montgomery was killed with grapeshot through the head and both thighs. Also killed in the burst of gunfire were Captains John Macpherson and Jacob Cheesman.
With the death of Montgomery, his attack fell apart. Colonel Donald Campbell, the surviving officer, ordered a somewhat panicked retreat. Without Montgomery's assistance, Arnold's attack, after initial success, fell apart. Arnold was wounded in the leg, and a large number of his troops were captured, including Daniel Morgan
.
Once Montgomery's death was announced, Benedict Arnold assumed command of the American colonial forces. As Montgomery was a well-respected man on both sides of the battlefield, Carleton ordered that he be buried with dignity, but not with too much fanfare. At sunset on 4 January 1776, Montgomery's remains were put to rest. During his burial, American prisoners acknowledged Montgomery as a "beloved general" with "heroic bravery" and "suavity of manners" who held the "confidence of the whole army."
On January 25, 1776, Congress approved the establishment of a monument in memory of Montgomery. A state memorial service was also scheduled and carried out on February 19, 1776. Throughout the colonies, Montgomery was viewed as a hero, and Patriot
s tried to use his death to promote their cause in the war. Montgomery's name was used very often in literature; among the authors who used his name was Thomas Paine
.
Montgomery was also mourned in Britain. Whigs attempted to use his death to show the failure of the British policies on the American Colonies. Prime Minister Lord Frederick North
acknowledged Montgomery's military ability but said "I cannot join in lamenting the death of Montgomery as a public loss. Curse on his virtues! They've undone his country. He was brave, he was able, he was humane, he was generous, but still, he was only a brave, able, humane, and generous rebel." Newspapers in London paid tribute to Montgomery, with the Evening Post bordering its March 12 edition in black as a sign of mourning.
on which Montgomery had begun work before the war. Janet remained interested in politics for the rest of the war and was always a harsh critic of Loyalist
s. After the war, former Continental Army
general Horatio Gates
proposed marriage to her, but she declined. In 1789, Janet stopped in New York City on her way to visit some of Montgomery's relatives in Ireland. She attended Washington's inaugural ball, as he had just been sworn in as president, and also visited Washington and his family several times more. She sailed for Ireland soon after, and returned to America in 1790 after she had a falling out with her sister-in-law over British-American politics.
In 1818, Stephen van Rensselaer, Governor of New York, obtained permission for Montgomery's remains to be moved from Quebec to New York. In June 1818, Montgomery's remains set off for New York City. On July 4 they arrived in Albany and took a boat down the Hudson to New York City. Janet stood out on her porch and watched the boat bring Montgomery's remains down the river, fainting at the sight. When his remains arrived in New York City, 5,000 people attended the procession. His remains were interred on July 8, next to his monument at St. Paul's Chapel
in Manhattan
, which had been completed in 1776. Janet was pleased with the ceremony and wrote, "What more could I wish than the high honor that has been conferred on the ashes of my poor soldier."
Years later, when Andrew Jackson
was corresponding with Edward Livingston
he wrote "Present me in the most respectful terms to your aged sister [Janet]. Says to her, if I ever should be within one hundred miles of her dwelling I will visit and have the high honor of shaking by the hand the revered relict of the patriotic Genrl. Montgomery, who will ever live in the hearts of his countrymen." Three months after this letter, Janet died, on November 6, 1824.
Montgomery's home in Rhinebeck, New York is now the General Montgomery House, a historic house museum moved from Montgomery Street to 77 Livingston Street. The oldest structure in the Village of Rhinebeck
, the building is also used for monthly meetings of the Chancellor Livingston Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The United States Navy
has named a number of ships over the years, including a frigate
that was begun in 1776, and burned before completion to prevent its capture by the British.
The liberty ship SS Richard Montgomery
remains sunk in the Thames Estuary
. Its cargo of 3,173 tons of munitions continues to
pose a threat to the local area.
In Philadelphia, there is a statue of Montgomery in Fairmount Park
, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art
.
, a massive masonry fortification mounting 125 guns on Lake Champlain
was named for the General. Its construction begun in 1844, it was designed to guard the strategically important frontier between Canada and the United States; only ruins remain today.
Montgomery has several places named after him. Counties named for him are to be found in North Carolina
, Missouri
, Arkansas
, Illinois, Indiana
, Kansas
, Maryland
, Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, Vermont
, New York
, Virginia
, and Kentucky
. Cities and towns named for him most notably include Montgomery, Alabama
, that state's capital and second largest city, as well as Montgomery, Minnesota
. There is a township in New Jersey, a village in New York
, and a town in Massachusetts
as well.
Richard Montgomery High School
in Rockville, Maryland
bears his name, itself located in the county named after him Montgomery County
. Montgomery Place
, a mansion in Barrytown, New York
, was constructed in 1803 and named in his honor by his widow. General Montgomery had planned it before his departure from Grassmere in 1775, and construction was originally planned to start in 1776.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
who first served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He later became a brigadier-general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
.
Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland. In 1754, he enrolled at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and two years later joined the British army to fight in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. He steadily rose through the ranks, serving in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and then the Caribbean. After the war he was stationed at Fort Detroit
Fort Detroit
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S...
during Pontiac's War, following which he returned to Britain for health reasons. In 1773, Montgomery returned to the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
, married Janet Livingston, and began farming.
When the American Revolutionary War broke out, Montgomery took up the Patriot
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
cause, and was elected to the New York Provincial Congress
New York Provincial Congress
The New York Provincial Congress was an organization formed by rebels in 1775, during the American Revolution, as a pro-rebellion alternative to the more conservative Province of New York Assembly, and as a replacement for the Committee of One Hundred.A Provincial Convention assembled in New York...
in May 1775. In June 1775, he was commissioned as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. After Phillip Schuyler became too ill to lead the invasion of Canada, Montgomery took over. He captured Fort St. Johns and then Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in November 1775, and then advanced to Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
where he joined another force under the command of Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
. On December 31, he led an attack on the city
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
, but was killed during the battle. The British found his body and gave it an honorable burial. It was moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1818.
Early life
Montgomery was born in Swords, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. His father, Thomas Montgomery
Thomas Montgomery (politician)
Thomas Montgomery was an Irish politician.He was born in 1700 to Colonel Alexander Montgomery M.P. for County Monaghan, of Ballyleck, County Monaghan, and Elizabeth Cole, , daughter of Colonel Thomas Cole of Mount Florence, Florencecourt, County Fermanagh...
, was a former British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Officer and a member of the Irish Parliament
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
. He was a brother of Colonel Alexander Montgomery (1720–1800)
Alexander Montgomery (1720–1800)
Colonel Alexander John Montgomery was an Irish politician.He was born in 1720, the eldest son of Thomas Montgomery, M.P. for Lifford, and his wife Mary Franklin...
and a cousin of Colonel Alexander Montgomery (1686–1729)
Alexander Montgomery (1686–1729)
Colonel Alexander Montgomery was an Irish soldier and politician.Montgomery of the Scots Greys cavalry, lived in Convoy House, Convoy, County Donegal, Ireland. He was born in 1686, the second son of Major John Montgomery and his first wife Catherine, the daughter of the Reverend James Auchinleck...
, both Members of Parliament for County Donegal. Another first cousin was an M.P. for County Monaghan,also named Alexander Montgomery (died 1785)
Alexander Montgomery (died 1785)
General Alexander Montgomery MP for County Monaghan, Ireland from 1743-1760 & from August 1768 -1783. He succeeded his elder brother John Montgomery as M.P. for County Monaghan. He was a General of Volunteers...
.
Richard Montgomery spent most of his childhood near Donegal
Donegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
, where he learned to hunt, ride, shoot, and fence. Thomas Montgomery made sure that Montgomery received a good education; he learned French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
, and attended a school outside of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. In 1754, the same year that the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
began in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Montgomery enrolled in Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
Despite his great love of knowledge Montgomery did not receive a degree. He was urged by his father and his oldest brother Alexander to join the military, which he did on September 21, 1756. His father purchased an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
's commission for Montgomery, who joined the 17th Regiment of Foot
Royal Leicestershire Regiment
The Royal Leicestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964.-1688 - 1881:...
.
Seven Years War
North America
On February 3, 1757, the 17th Foot was ordered to march from its garrison at GalwayGalway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and prepare to be deployed overseas. On May 5, Montgomery and the 17th Foot sailed from Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
for Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, arriving in July. The British had planned an attempt on Louisbourg
Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia...
but the operation was called off, and they sailed instead for winter quarters in New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
. In 1758, the 17th Foot was sent back to Halifax, once again with the goal of taking Louisbourg.
The British commanders, Jeffery Amherst
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst KCB served as an officer in the British Army and as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.Amherst is best known as one of the victors of the French and Indian War, when he conquered Louisbourg, Quebec City and...
and James Abercromby drew up a plan to assault the French at Louisbourg, which is located on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
, north of Halifax. The French garrison consisted of only 800 men, while the British force had 13,142 troops supported by 23 ships of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
and 13 frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. On June 8, 1758, the attack on the fort
Siege of Louisbourg (1758)
The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the...
began. Montgomery landed on the beach under heavy fire and ordered his troops to advance with fixed bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s. The outer French defenses withdrew back toward the city. Montgomery's unit and the rest of the British force chased the French back to a point just outside of the Fort's guns. At this point, the British prepared to besiege the city. Due to bad weather, artillery and other materials needed for the siege took several weeks to arrive onshore. Montgomery had his men dig entrenchments and build breastworks
Breastwork (fortification)
A breastwork is a fortification. The term is usually applied to temporary fortifications, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position...
, also ordering his men stay alert to the possibility of a French attack. On July 9, the French attempted a breakout, but it failed. On July 26, following a series of actions resulting in the destruction of most their fleet, the French surrendered. General Amherst was impressed by Montgomery's action during the siege, and promoted him to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
On July 8, 1758, James Abercromby attacked Fort Carillon on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
, but was repelled with heavy losses. In August, Montgomery and the 17th foot sailed to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, marched to join with Abercromby's forces in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and then moved to Lake George
Lake George (town), New York
Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, USA. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The lake was...
. On November 9, Abercromby was recalled; Amherst replaced him as commander-in-chief. The British high command, for the 1759 campaign, developed a plan for a three-pronged attack into Canada, in which forces including the 17th foot would assault Fort Carillon and also capture Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric was a French fort built on Lake Champlain at Crown Point to secure the region against British colonization and to allow the French to control the use of Lake Champlain....
, near Crown Point, New York
Crown Point, New York
Crown Point is a town in Essex County, New York, USA. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a direct translation of the original French name, "Point au Chevalure."...
. Under Amherst's command, Montgomery and the 17th Foot participated in the capture of Fort Carillon
Battle of Ticonderoga (1759)
The 1759 Battle of Ticonderoga was a minor confrontation at Fort Carillon on July 26 and 27, 1759, during the French and Indian War...
. While the army was gathering prior to the battle, Montgomery's company was on guard duty; he ordered his men to remain vigilant for French and Indian ambush parties. On May 9 his suspicions proved correct when 12 men from the 17th were attacked. Montgomery and the 17th met stiff resistance at first. Montgomery ordered that his men were not to fire at night, fearing they would shoot their comrades. On July 21, the army began its movement toward Fort Carillon; by the 26th they were in position outside the fort's walls, from which the French had already withdrawn most of their forces to Fort St. Frédéric. That night, after some exchange of cannonfire during the day, the French blew up Carillon's powder magazine, and Fort St. Frédéric the next day, and withdrew to the far end of Lake Champlain.
The 17th, which was placed under the command of Major General Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton was an officer of the British army and a colonial administrator in British North America. He had a distinguished military and political career, being second in command to General Wolfe at the battle of Quebec and subsequently being the Governor of New York State...
late in 1759, spent the winter on garrison duty in the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
valley. On May 15, 1760, Monckton named Montgomery as regimental adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
, a position awarded by the commanding officer to the most promising lieutenant in the regiment. In August, the 17th Foot joined with the Lake Champlain Division, and set out from Crown Point to participate in a three-pronged attack on Montreal. The 17th Foot captured the Île aux Noix
Ile aux Noix
Île aux Noix is an island on the Richelieu River in Quebec, close to Lake Champlain. The island is the site of Fort Lennox National Historic Site. Politically, it is part of Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix.-Background:...
and Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
before meeting with the two other divisions outside Montreal. The Marquis de Vaudreuil
Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal
Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal was a Canadian-born French colonial governor in North America...
, Canada
Canada, New France
Canada was the name of the French colony that once stretched along the St. Lawrence River; the other colonies of New France were Acadia, Louisiana and Newfoundland. Canada, the most developed colony of New France, was divided into three districts, each with its own government: Quebec,...
's French governor, seeing that the city could not be defended, surrendered the city without a fight. With the fall of Montreal, all of Canada fell into British hands. In the summer of 1761, Montgomery and the 17th Foot marched from Montreal to Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
.
Caribbean
After conquering Canada, the British government put together a plan to defeat the French in the West IndiesCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. In November of 1761, Montgomery and the 17th set sail for Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, where they joined other units from North America. On January 5, 1762, the force left Barbados and headed towards the French island of Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
, arriving there in mid-January. The French, having received word of an impending attack, had built up their defenses. A beachhead was quickly established, and the main offensive began on January 24. The French outer defenses were overrun and the survivors fled to the capital, Fort Royal
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
. The British prepared to launch an assault on the fort, but the French, seeing the situation was hopeless, surrendered. On February 12, the entire island surrendered. After the fall of Martinique, the rest of the French West Indies, Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, and Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
, fell to the British without a fight. On May 6, 1762, in reward for his actions in Martinique, Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell
John Campbell, of Strachur
General John Campbell, 17th of Strachur was a Scottish soldier and minor nobleman, who commanded the British forces at the Siege of Pensacola, and succeeded Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester as Commander-in-Chief in North America in 1783 following the end of the American War of...
promoted Montgomery to captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
and gave him command of one of the ten companies of the 17th Foot.
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
entered the war in 1761 as an ally of France. The British high command believed that capturing Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
would destroy the lines of communication from Spain to its colonial empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. On June 6, the assaulting British forces arrived seven miles off the shore of Havana. The 17th Foot, including Montgomery's company, was to capture Moro Fort
Morro Castle (fortress)
Morro Castle is a picturesque fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Euta. Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer, was commissioned to design the structure. When it was built in 1589, Euta was under the control of Germany...
, the key to the Spanish defense of the city. British battleships bombarded the fort, silencing all but two Spanish guns. On July 30, Montgomery and the 17th Foot stormed and captured the fort. In late August 1762, Montgomery and the 17th Foot were sent to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where they remained for the rest of the war. The conflict was ended by the signing of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
on February 10, 1763.
Pontiac's War
Angered by the French surrender, and unhappy with British policies that affected them, an OttawaOdawa people
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
chief named Pontiac
Chief Pontiac
Pontiac or Obwandiyag , was an Ottawa leader who became famous for his role in Pontiac's Rebellion , an American Indian struggle against the British military occupation of the Great Lakes region following the British victory in the French and Indian War. Historians disagree about Pontiac's...
organized 18 Native American tribes that attacked British military and civilian settlements beginning in April 1763. The tribes captured eight British forts and forced the evacuation of two more. General Amherst ordered the 17th to Albany in June 1763 to assist in combating the outbreak of hostilities.
En route to Albany, the ship carrying Montgomery up the Hudson River ran aground near Clermont Manor
Clermont Manor
The Clermont State Historic Site, also known as the Clermont estate, the Clermont Manor or just Clermont, is a New York State Historic Site in southwestern Columbia County, New York, USA...
, seat of the politically powerful Livingston family
Livingston family
The Livingston family of was a prominent family which migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from William, 4th Lord Livingston, its members included signers of the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States...
. While the ship was re-floated, the Livingstons played host to the officers who were aboard the vessel. Montgomery was at this time introduced to Robert Livingston's 20-year-old daughter Janet. While it has never transpired exactly what happened between them at this time, Janet noticed that the young Montgomery was not with the regiment (having been given leave to return to England early) when it returned to New York.
The 17th was first assigned to garrison duty at Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26, 1758, by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The fort guarded a portage known as the Oneida Carrying Place during the French and Indian War...
, where Montgomery remained until 1764. In 1764, Montgomery applied to Colonel Campbell and General Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
for leave to return to England, as his service in the Caribbean had taken a toll on his health. Gage granted the leave, directing Colonel Campbell to give it as soon as possible. Campbell, whose officer ranks had been depleted in the Caribbean campaign, would only grant the leave after the upcoming expedition.
The British in 1764 organized two expeditions to combat the Native uprising. Montgomery and the 17th were on one of these expeditions, commanded by John Bradstreet
John Bradstreet
Major General John Bradstreet was a British Army officer during the French and Indian War, King George's War, and Pontiac's Rebellion...
, that went to Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
in July, where they were stationed for one month, while Sir William Johnson
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
organized and held a major conference with Natives from around the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. The conference drew more than 2,000 Natives; Bradstreet's forces stayed there as a deterrent to rumored Native attacks. They then marched to Fort Detroit
Fort Detroit
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S...
, which had been subject to a surprise attack earlier, arriving in August. For several weeks, Montgomery stayed at the fort, helping to improve its defenses, and also gaining an understanding of how to interact with the Natives. In September, Bradstreet left Fort Detroit for Sandusky
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
, to meet with the Shawnee and the Delaware; while the 17th remained on garrison duty at Fort Detroit and Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower...
, Montgomery, whose leave had been granted, accompanied him. On October 3, Montgomery and several other officers met with Thomas King, an Oneida
Oneida tribe
The Oneida are a Native American/First Nations people and are one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in the area of upstate New York...
chief. King had accompanied a detachment of Bradstreet's men on operations in Illinois; he reported that the Natives were quite hostile there, and had recommended against military action against them. Two days later, at a larger conference with Bradstreet and Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
leaders, Bradstreet explained to them that the British would not be attacking the Shawnee and Delaware. Bradstreet then released Montgomery, who traveled first to Johnson Hall and then New York, where he delivered dispatches from Bradstreet to Gage before departing for England.
Recovery
In Britain, Montgomery recovered his health. He associated with Whig Members of Parliament, who generally supported the colonists in their demands for more political freedom. Montgomery became friends with several prominent Whigs, among them Isaac BarreIsaac Barré
Isaac Barré was an Irish soldier and politician. He earned distinction serving with the British army during the Seven Years' War, and later became a prominent Member of Parliament where he became a vocal supporter of William Pitt. He is known for coining the term "Sons of Liberty" in reference to...
, Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, and Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
. While stationed in Britain, Montgomery spent much of his time discussing politics with these three men. He began to question the British Government's policies. In 1768, with the 17th Foot back in England, he began a recruitment drive; before it began, his company was only 17 men. He also became engaged; however, his fiancee proved to be untrue, and the engagement was broken.
After being passed over for promotion in 1771, likely because of his political affiliations, he sold his commission for about £1,500 and left the military in 1772. He then bought scientific instruments (microscopes, a barometer and hygrometer), surveying tools, and draftsmen's tools, and sailed for America in July of that year. He had decided to never marry or take up arms again, and to become a gentleman farmer.
Settling in New York
He bought a farm at King's BridgeKingsbridge, Bronx
Kingsbridge is a working class residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park to the north, Goulden Avenue to the east, West 225th Street to the south, and Irwin...
, 13 miles north of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. While adjusting to his surroundings, Montgomery renewed his acquaintance with Janet Livingston, who later recounted that "politeness led him to make me a visit". After receiving permission from her father, he and Janet were married on July 24, 1773.
After their marriage, Montgomery leased his farm to a tenant and moved to his wife's residence, “Grassmere,” a small house in Rhinebeck, New York. Montgomery bought some surrounding land and set to work fencing, ploughing fields, building a grain mill, and laying the foundation for a larger home. He said that he was "Never so happy in all my life", but followed that up by saying "This cannot last; it cannot last." Three months after their marriage, Janet told him of a dream she had in which Montgomery was killed in a duel by his brother. Montgomery replied by saying "I have always told you that my happiness is not lasting...Let us enjoy it as long as we may and leave the rest to God."
Because Montgomery was now tied to the Livingston family
Livingston family
The Livingston family of was a prominent family which migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from William, 4th Lord Livingston, its members included signers of the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States...
, who supported the Patriot cause, he began to turn against the British government, seeing himself as an American instead of an Englishman. He came to believe that the British government was being oppressive and was acting like a tyrannical parent-state.
New York Provincial Congress
On May 16, 1775, Montgomery was elected as one of the ten deputies to represent Dutchess County in the New York Provincial CongressNew York Provincial Congress
The New York Provincial Congress was an organization formed by rebels in 1775, during the American Revolution, as a pro-rebellion alternative to the more conservative Province of New York Assembly, and as a replacement for the Committee of One Hundred.A Provincial Convention assembled in New York...
. Although Montgomery had only lived in New York for two years and had not sought political involvement, he was well known and respected in the area and he felt obliged to attend. He was reluctant to go, but nonetheless went to New York City, 80 miles south of Rhinebeck.
The first session began on May 22. On May 26, 97 delegates, including Montgomery, signed a resolution legitimizing its authority. Montgomery's views were those of a moderate Patriot. He believed that the American Government was wrong, but hoped for an honorable reconciliation. Gradually, the faction of the Congress that remained loyal
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
to the King lost its influence, with some not participating on a regular basis. Montgomery was selected to serve in a site selection committee to decide the placement of military defensive positions in New York, and was also involved in organizing the provincial militia and securing its supplies.
Appointment
After the appointment of George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as Commander-in-Chief of the newly formed Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
on June 15, 1775, the Second Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
asked the New York Provincial Government to select two men for service in the army. One would be a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, the other a Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. The assembly favored Philip Schuyler
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...
as the Major General. Montgomery expressed concern over this, as he did not believe that Schuyler had enough combat experience for such an appointment. Montgomery wrote that "Phil Schuyler was mentioned to me.....His consequence in the province makes him a fit subject for an important trust — but has he strong nerves? I could wish to have that point well ascertained with respect to any man so employed." Although Montgomery knew he was under consideration for Brigadier General, he did not publicly show any desire for the appointment. Nonetheless, Schuyler was appointed Major General, and Montgomery Brigadier General, on June 22. Montgomery was ranked 2nd in command of all the Brigadier Generals.
In view of this appointment, he said, "The Congress having done me the honor of electing me brigadier-general in their service, is an event which must put an end, for awhile, perhaps for ever, to the quiet scheme of life I had prescribed for myself; for, though entirely unexpected and undesired by me, the will of an oppressed people, compelled to choose between liberty and slavery, must be obeyed."
Plan
On June 25, George Washington passed through New York City on his way to Boston. Washington assigned Montgomery as deputy commander under Schuyler. A few days later, Schuyler received orders from the Continental Congress to invade Canada. The idea was that the army was to invade QuebecProvince of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
, where the Hudson River and the northern lakes could supply the army. A force was quickly assembled at Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
and Schuyler left to take command of the army on July 4. Montgomery stayed in Albany for several more weeks making the final arrangements for the invasion. His wife followed him as far north as Saratoga
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
, where he told her "You shall never have cause to blush for your Montgomery."
Through July and early August, Montgomery and Schuyler continued to organize their force, raising the men and materials needed for an invasion. While they organized, Washington decided to expand the invasion, ordering Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
to lead another invasion force that would invade Quebec from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. It was to join with Schuyler's army outside Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, where they would launch a joint attack on to the city.
Invasion of Canada
In August, Schuyler left to meet with representatives of the Iroquois Confederacy in order to keep them neutral during the invasion, leaving Montgomery in command of the forces at Fort Ticonderoga. While Schuyler was away, Montgomery received intelligence that the British were building two gunboats on Lake ChamplainLake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
, which, when complete, would give the British military access to the lake. Without asking permission from Schuyler, he moved 1,200 men north on the schooner Liberty
USS Liberty (1775)
USS Liberty was a schooner built at Skenesboro USS Liberty was a schooner built at Skenesboro USS Liberty was a schooner built at Skenesboro (now Whitehall on Lake Champlain, New York for wealthy landowner and former British Army Captain Philip Skene. It was captured on 11 May 1775 during a raid on...
and the sloop Enterprise
USS Enterprise (1775)
Enterprise was a Continental Navy sloop-of-war that served in Lake Champlain during the American Revolutionary War. She is the first of a long and prestigious line of United States Navy ships to bear the name Enterprise....
. Montgomery wrote a letter to Schuyler, explaining the situation.
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
. Schuyler, whose health was poor, drafted a proclamation in which he called the Canadians "Friends and Countrymen", asking them to help expel the British from Canada.
On September 6, Montgomery led a probing force to Fort St. Johns
Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)
Fort Saint-Jean is a fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec located on the Richelieu River. The fort was first built in 1666 by soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment and was part of a series of forts built along the Richelieu River...
, the key to the British defense of Montreal. Montgomery led the main body of troops toward the fort through a marshy and heavily wooded area. A flanking party led by Captain Matthew Mead was ambushed by 100 Native Americans allied to the British. The party held its ground, forcing the ambushing Natives to fall back to the fort. Montgomery, fearing that the British force was larger than he had anticipated, called off operations for the rest of the day and withdrew his force to a spot beyond the range of the British guns. Believing that the fort could not be captured quickly, Schuyler recalled Montgomery's force and fortified Île aux Noix.
Schuyler's health declined, so Montgomery assumed command of the daily functions of the army. On September 10, a larger force of 1,700 men led by Montgomery moved toward the fort. In the swampy area around the fort, it was so dark that two parties of Americans ran into each other; each feared the other to be the British, and both fled. Montgomery ran to intercept them and ended the flight. As they advanced toward the fort, the force came under British grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
fire. One party of Americans attacked the British breastworks, inflicting 2 casualties, after which they fell back. The next morning, Montgomery called a council of war, in which it was agreed to make another attack on the fort. However, word spread that a British warship was advancing up the river, and half the New England troops fled out of fright. Montgomery, believing his force could no longer take the fort, retreated back to Île aux Noix. Montgomery, furious at the flight of the New England troops, asked Schuyler to appoint a court-martial board. Meanwhile, Schuyler's health had not improved. He left for Ticonderoga on the 16th to recover, giving full control of the operation to Montgomery.
Siege of St. Johns
Outside of Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)
Fort Saint-Jean is a fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec located on the Richelieu River. The fort was first built in 1666 by soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment and was part of a series of forts built along the Richelieu River...
, Montgomery continued to receive reinforcements. He granted leaves to commanders who he felt were not fit for their position. He said "I hope we shall have none left but fighting men on whom I can rely."
On September 16, Montgomery organized another expedition against the British fort. In total, he had 1,400 men. He sent a naval component, with 1 schooner, 1 sloop, and 10 bateaux with 350 troops to counter any move by the British warship, Royal Savage. Montgomery took the rest of his force and sailed up the river, landing near St. Johns on September 17. The British garrison was 725 men commanded by Major Charles Preston, who just 3 years earlier had been Montgomery's superior officer in the British Army.
Montgomery and his troops spent the first night near the landing area, under light fire from the British guns. The next morning, he ordered Major Timothy Bedel
Timothy Bedel
Timothy Bedel was a soldier and local leader prominent in the early history of New Hampshire and Vermont.Bedel was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts...
to occupy a position north of the fort, but when Montgomery saw that his men were apprehensive, he chose to lead the mission himself. As Montgomery led his troops, they came upon a fight between British troops and another American party. Montgomery took command of the skirmish and forced the British party back into the fort. Montgomery sent Bedel with a force to entrench themselves about a mile north of the fort. Montgomery then put other troops around the fort and began a siege.
The Americans continued to receive armaments from Ticonderoga, with guns arriving on September 21 and also on October 5. However, the artillery were positioned too far away to do much damage to the fort. With the arrival of the new guns, Montgomery planned to move the emphasis of the bombardment from the east side of the fort to the north side, where they would be closer. However, his officers unanimously rejected this plan, fearing that many men would desert due to the increased danger. Montgomery ordered that a new battery be built where the Royal Savage could be threatened. On October 14, the battery was completed and then used to sink the British ship.
In mid-October, James Livingston
James Livingston (American Revolution)
Colonel James Livingston was born in the French province of Canada to New York-born parents. He was living in Quebec when the American Revolutionary War broke out...
, an American expatriate living near Chambly (and a relative of Montgomery's wife Janet), suggested to Montgomery that he might have better success attacking Fort Chambly, which, about 10 miles downstream, was weaker than St. Jean. Montgomery approved of the idea and ordered 350 men to take Chambly. On the night of October 16, two American guns were slipped past Fort St. Jean and moved towards Chambly. The next morning, these guns opened fire on Chambly. After two days of bombardment, holes were driven into the fort's walls and the chimmney had been knocked down. The British commander surrendered the fort, capturing 6 tons of gunpowder and 83 men. Montgomery sent the colors of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, who had been defending the fort, to Schuyler, the first standards of a British regiment captured in the war. Washington sent a letter of congratulations to Montgomery and commented that he hoped "that his next letter be dated from Montreal."
The capture of Chambly improved morale in the ranks of Montgomery's army, so much so that he went through with his plan to establish a battery north of Fort St. Jean, this time without opposition. While the Americans were constructing the batteries, the British heavily bombarded the American workers, but this resulted in few casualties. General Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
, commanding the British forces at Montreal, realized that the situation at Fort St. Jean was becoming desperate. He personally led a relief force at the end of October, but American forces successfully prevented it from crossing the Saint Lawrence River south of Montreal.
On November 1, the new batteries erected north of the fort were complete. The Americans began to fire at the fort and continued to do so throughout the rest of the day. The British guns fired back, but were less effective. The American guns caused few casualties, but inflicted heavy structural damage inside of the fort. Morale in the besieged garrison fell as the bombardment (and declining rations) took their toll. At sundown, Montgomery ordered the firing to stop and sent a prisoner captured at Chambly inside with a letter asking for the garrison's surrender. A messenger sent from Carleton to Preston was captured during the night, in which Carleton ordered that Preston continue to hold out. On November 2, the British agreed to surrender with full military honors. They marched out of the fort on November 3, and were sent into the colonies where they were interned. The British had suffered 20 killed and 23 wounded, while the Americans had only five killed and six wounded throughout the siege.
Montreal to Quebec
Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
Sorel-Tracy is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada and the geographical end point of the Lake Champlain Valley at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, on the western edge of Lac Saint-Pierre downstream and east of nearby Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006...
where the force briefly clashed with British troops. The British troops quickly withdrew to their vessels in the St. Lawrence River. When Montgomery and the main army reached the outskirts of the city, Montgomery sent a messenger in demanding the surrender of the city or they would suffer bombardment. While negotiations for the city's surrender took place, Carleton fled down the St. Lawrence River in a small flotilla of ships. The city surrendered on November 13 and Montgomery and his army marched into the city without a shot being fired.
On November 19, the British flotilla was captured, but Carleton narrowly escaped and made his way to Quebec City. Montgomery's kind treatment toward the captured British prisoners caused several officers to express their concern. Montgomery saw this as a challenge to his authority and this, along with the lack of discipline in the army, caused Montgomery to threaten resignation. Letters from Washington in which Washington also expressed his troubles with the discipline of troops convinced Montgomery to continue his command.
On November 28, Montgomery and 300 men went aboard some of the captured ships and began to sail to Quebec City. On December 2, Montgomery joined Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
's force at Pointe aux Trembles
Neuville, Quebec
Neuville is a village on the north shore of the Saint Laurence River, just west of Quebec City, part of the Portneuf Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1684, and has remained quite picturesque throughout these years....
, 18 miles upriver from Quebec. On his arrival, Arnold turned over command of his forces to Montgomery. On December 3, Montgomery gave Arnold's men, who had marched through the Maine wilderness to Quebec City and suffered much hardship along the way, much-needed supplies, including clothing and other winter supplies taken from the captured British ships. The next day, the army moved toward the city; when they arrived, Montgomery ordered the city to be surrounded. On December 7, Montgomery sent an ultimatum to Carleton, demanding the surrender of the city. Carleton burned the letter. Several days later, Montgomery sent a letter into the city appealing the merchants telling them that they had come to liberate the civilians of Quebec. However, Carleton discovered the plan and quickly had the messenger arrested. Montgomery, wanting his message to reach the inhabitants of the city, then sent the proclamation over the wall with bows and arrows.
Attack and Death
Unknown to Montgomery, he was promoted to Major General on December 9 for his victories at St. Johns and Montreal. After Montgomery was unable to convince Carleton to surrender, he placed several mortars a few hundred yards outside the walls of the city. The shelling of the city began on December 9, but after several days it had failed to make a serious impact on the walls, the garrison, or the civilian population. With the shelling having little effect, Montgomery ordered the emplacement of another battery closer towards the city walls, on the Plains of AbrahamPlains of Abraham
The Plains of Abraham is a historic area within The Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, that was originally grazing land, but became famous as the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which took place on 13 September 1759. Though written into the history books, housing and minor...
, despite the fact it offered little natural cover from returning fire. On December 15, the new batteries were ready and Montgomery sent a party of men under the flag of truce to ask for the city's surrender, however, they were turned away. Montgomery then resumed firing on the city, but the effect was little better. When the new batteries were hit by more effective fire from the British, Montgomery ordered their evacuation.
As the bombardment of the city proved to be unsuccessful, Montgomery then began to plan for an assault. Montgomery was to assault the Lower Town district, the part of the city near the river shore, while Arnold was to attack and take the Cape Diamond Bastion, a strong part of the city walls on the highest point of the rocky promontory. Montgomery believed that they should attack during a stormy night, therefore the British would not be able to see them. On December 27, the weather became stormy, and Montgomery ordered that the men prepare to attack, however, the storm soon subsided and Montgomery called off the attack. As Montgomery waited for a storm, he was forced to revise his plans, because a deserter communicated the original plan to the defenders. In the new plan, Montgomery would attack the Lower Town from the south and Arnold would attack the Lower Town from the north. After breaking through the walls, Montgomery and Arnold would meet up in the city and then attack and take the Upper Town, causing resistance to collapse. To increase their chance of surprise, Montgomery planned two feint
Feint
Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
s. One detachment of troops (the 1st Canadian Regiment
1st Canadian Regiment
The 1st Canadian Regiment, was raised by James Livingston to support Colonial efforts in the American Revolutionary War during the invasion of Quebec...
under James Livingston) would set fire to one of the gates while another (under the command of Jacob Brown) would engage the guard at Cape Diamond Bastion and fire rockets to signal the start of the attack. While the feints were conducted, artillery would fire into the city. Although Montgomery was reluctant to attack, enlistments for Arnold's men were expiring on January 1, and he was concerned about losing their services.
On the night of December 30, a snowstorm struck. Montgomery issued the order to attack and the Americans began to move towards their designated positions. At 4:00 a.m., Montgomery saw the rocket flares and began to move his men around the city towards the lower town. Although the rockets were to signal the attack, they also alerted the British of the impending attack and the city's defenders rushed to their posts. Montgomery personally led the march to the Lower Town, as they descended down the steep slippery cliffs outside the city walls. At 6:00 a.m., Montgomery's force reached a palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
at the edge of the Lower Town, which they had to saw through. After they sawed through a second palisade, Montgomery led the advance party through the opening. Seeing a two-story blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
down the street, Montgomery led the troops toward it, encouraging the men by drawing his sword and shouting, "Come on, my good soldiers, your General calls upon you to come on." When the Americans were about 50 yards (45.7 m) away, the British forces in the blockhouse (30 Canadian militia and some seamen), opened fire with cannon, musket, and grapeshot. Montgomery was killed with grapeshot through the head and both thighs. Also killed in the burst of gunfire were Captains John Macpherson and Jacob Cheesman.
With the death of Montgomery, his attack fell apart. Colonel Donald Campbell, the surviving officer, ordered a somewhat panicked retreat. Without Montgomery's assistance, Arnold's attack, after initial success, fell apart. Arnold was wounded in the leg, and a large number of his troops were captured, including Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
.
Funeral
On 1 January 1776, the British started collecting bodies of the deceased and soon found the body of a low ranking officer of the American colonial army. After being brought to General Carleton, an American prisoner confirmed that the body was that of Richard Montgomery.Once Montgomery's death was announced, Benedict Arnold assumed command of the American colonial forces. As Montgomery was a well-respected man on both sides of the battlefield, Carleton ordered that he be buried with dignity, but not with too much fanfare. At sunset on 4 January 1776, Montgomery's remains were put to rest. During his burial, American prisoners acknowledged Montgomery as a "beloved general" with "heroic bravery" and "suavity of manners" who held the "confidence of the whole army."
Mourning
Both Schuyler and Washington were devastated upon hearing of Montgomery's death. Schuyler believed that without Montgomery, victory in Canada was not possible. He wrote to Congress and Washington that "My amiable friend, the gallant Montgomery, is no more; the brave Arnold is wounded; and we have met a severe check, in an unsuccessful attempt on Quebec, May Heaven be graciously pleased that the misfortune may terminate here." Washington wrote to Schuyler, "In the death of this gentleman, America has sustained a heavy loss, as he had approved himself a steady friend to her rights and of ability to render her the most essential services." Congress reacted to Montgomery's death by trying to keep the loss as quiet as possible. They feared the news would lower the morale of the troops and civilians.On January 25, 1776, Congress approved the establishment of a monument in memory of Montgomery. A state memorial service was also scheduled and carried out on February 19, 1776. Throughout the colonies, Montgomery was viewed as a hero, and Patriot
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
s tried to use his death to promote their cause in the war. Montgomery's name was used very often in literature; among the authors who used his name was Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
.
Montgomery was also mourned in Britain. Whigs attempted to use his death to show the failure of the British policies on the American Colonies. Prime Minister Lord Frederick North
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
acknowledged Montgomery's military ability but said "I cannot join in lamenting the death of Montgomery as a public loss. Curse on his virtues! They've undone his country. He was brave, he was able, he was humane, he was generous, but still, he was only a brave, able, humane, and generous rebel." Newspapers in London paid tribute to Montgomery, with the Evening Post bordering its March 12 edition in black as a sign of mourning.
Aftermath
Janet would outlive Montgomery by 53 years. Janet always referred to him as "my general" or "my soldier" and guarded his reputation. After his death, Janet moved to the house near RhinebeckGrasmere (Rhinebeck, New York)
Grasmere is a national historic district and estate located at Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York. It consists of 12 contributing buildings and four contributing structures. The main house was originally built about 1824 and expanded about 1861 and in 1907-1908. The original house was built on...
on which Montgomery had begun work before the war. Janet remained interested in politics for the rest of the war and was always a harsh critic of Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
s. After the war, former Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
general Horatio Gates
Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
proposed marriage to her, but she declined. In 1789, Janet stopped in New York City on her way to visit some of Montgomery's relatives in Ireland. She attended Washington's inaugural ball, as he had just been sworn in as president, and also visited Washington and his family several times more. She sailed for Ireland soon after, and returned to America in 1790 after she had a falling out with her sister-in-law over British-American politics.
In 1818, Stephen van Rensselaer, Governor of New York, obtained permission for Montgomery's remains to be moved from Quebec to New York. In June 1818, Montgomery's remains set off for New York City. On July 4 they arrived in Albany and took a boat down the Hudson to New York City. Janet stood out on her porch and watched the boat bring Montgomery's remains down the river, fainting at the sight. When his remains arrived in New York City, 5,000 people attended the procession. His remains were interred on July 8, next to his monument at St. Paul's Chapel
St. Paul's Chapel
St. Paul's Chapel, is an Episcopal chapel located at 209 Broadway, between Fulton and Vesey Streets, in lower Manhattan in New York City. It is the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan.-History and architecture:...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, which had been completed in 1776. Janet was pleased with the ceremony and wrote, "What more could I wish than the high honor that has been conferred on the ashes of my poor soldier."
Years later, when Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
was corresponding with Edward Livingston
Edward Livingston
Edward Livingston was an American jurist and statesman. He was an influential figure in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a civil code based largely on the Napoleonic Code. He represented both New York, and later Louisiana in Congress and he served as the U.S...
he wrote "Present me in the most respectful terms to your aged sister [Janet]. Says to her, if I ever should be within one hundred miles of her dwelling I will visit and have the high honor of shaking by the hand the revered relict of the patriotic Genrl. Montgomery, who will ever live in the hearts of his countrymen." Three months after this letter, Janet died, on November 6, 1824.
Memorials
Rhinebeck (village), New York
Rhinebeck is a village located in the Town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, the building is also used for monthly meetings of the Chancellor Livingston Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
has named a number of ships over the years, including a frigate
USS Montgomery (1776)
USS Montgomery was a three-masted, wooden-hulled sailing frigate and one of the first 13 ships authorized by the Continental Congress on 13 December 1775...
that was begun in 1776, and burned before completion to prevent its capture by the British.
The liberty ship SS Richard Montgomery
SS Richard Montgomery
SS Richard Montgomery was an American Liberty ship built during World War II, one of the 2,710 used to carry cargo during the war. The ship was wrecked off the Nore in the Thames Estuary in 1944 with around 1,400 tons of explosives on board, which continue to be a hazard to the area.-History:The...
remains sunk in the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
. Its cargo of 3,173 tons of munitions continues to
pose a threat to the local area.
In Philadelphia, there is a statue of Montgomery in Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:...
, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
.
Places
Fort MontgomeryFort Montgomery (Lake Champlain)
Fort Montgomery on Lake Champlain refers to the second of two American forts built at the northernmost point on the lake: a first, unnamed fort built on the same site in 1816 and Fort Montgomery built in 1844....
, a massive masonry fortification mounting 125 guns on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
was named for the General. Its construction begun in 1844, it was designed to guard the strategically important frontier between Canada and the United States; only ruins remain today.
Montgomery has several places named after him. Counties named for him are to be found in North Carolina
Montgomery County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,822 people, 9,848 households, and 7,189 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 14,145 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, Missouri
Montgomery County, Missouri
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies in East Central Missouri, approximately halfway between Columbia and St. Louis. As of 2000, the population was 12,136. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775...
, Arkansas
Montgomery County, Arkansas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 9,487. The county seat is Mount Ida. Montgomery County is Arkansas's 45th county, formed on December 9, 1842, and named after Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War...
, Illinois, Indiana
Montgomery County, Indiana
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 38,124. The county seat is Crawfordsville-Early history and settlement:...
, Kansas
Montgomery County, Kansas
Montgomery County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 35,471. Its county seat is Independence, and its most populous city is Coffeyville. The Coffeyville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Montgomery...
, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, Ohio
Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 535,153 in the 2010 Census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. The county seat is Dayton...
, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Vermont
Montgomery, Vermont
Montgomery is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population, according to 2010 census United States Census Bureau is 1,201. In 1963, part of Averys Gore in Franklin County became part of Montgomery, with the other section becoming part of Belvidere.-Geography:According to the...
, New York
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
, Virginia
Montgomery County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 83,629 people, 30,997 households, and 17,203 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 people per square mile . There were 32,527 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile...
, and Kentucky
Montgomery County, Kentucky
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 26,499. Its county seat is Mount Sterling. With regard to the sale of alcohol, it is classified as a moist county—a county in which alcohol sales are prohibited , but containing a "wet" city where package...
. Cities and towns named for him most notably include Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, that state's capital and second largest city, as well as Montgomery, Minnesota
Montgomery, Minnesota
Montgomery is a city in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, in the United States, 45 miles south of Minneapolis. It was named after Richard Montgomery, an Irish-American soldier who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The population was 2,956 at the 2010...
. There is a township in New Jersey, a village in New York
Montgomery (village), New York
Montgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States, 60 miles northwest of New York City, and 90 miles southwest of Albany. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census...
, and a town in Massachusetts
Montgomery, Massachusetts
Montgomery is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 838 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
as well.
Richard Montgomery High School
Richard Montgomery High School
Richard Montgomery High School is a secondary public school located in Rockville, Maryland.Richard Montgomery High School is named for Richard Montgomery, an American General who died while attempting to capture the British-held city of Quebec...
in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
bears his name, itself located in the county named after him Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
. Montgomery Place
Montgomery Place
Montgomery Place, near Barrytown, New York, United States, is an early 19th-century estate that has been designated a National Historic Landmark. It is also a contributing property to the Hudson River Historic District, also a National Historic Landmark....
, a mansion in Barrytown, New York
Barrytown, New York
Barrytown is a hamlet within the town of Red Hook in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is within the Hudson River Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, and comprises four of the Hudson River Valley estates: Edgewater, Messina, Rokeby, and Sylvania...
, was constructed in 1803 and named in his honor by his widow. General Montgomery had planned it before his departure from Grassmere in 1775, and construction was originally planned to start in 1776.