MONTGOMERY, Richard, American sol dier: b. Convoy House, near Raphoe, Ireland, 2 Dec. 1736; d. Quebec, 31 Dec. 1775. At 18 he obtained a commission in the British army, in 1757 began his career of active service in America, and at the siege of Louisburg in 1758 and elsewhere gave evidence of high military capacity. After a period of residence in Eng land from 1765, in 1772 he sold out his com mission and, emigrating to New York, settled in Rhinelieck, Dutchess County. In 1775 he represented Dutchess County in the provincial Congress, and in the same year was appointed one of the eight brigadiers to serve in the newly organized army of the united colonies of the young Republic. He was immediately attached to the larger of the two divisions sent to Canada in the summer of 1775 and by a series of well-directed movements successively acquired possession of Chambly, Saint John's and Montreal, thereby becoming in the middle of November master of a great part of Canada. Effecting a junction on 4 December with Arnold's troops, then recently arrived, he im mediately proceeded to take a position before Quebec. At a council of officers it was deter
mined to attempt to capture the place by a coup de main, and accordingly, on 31 December at 2 A.m., an attack on the town was begun. Montgomery, who headed the attack on the Cape Diamond bastion, fell dead at the first and only discharge by the British artillerymen. His men, panic-stricken by the loss of their leader, began a disorderly retreat, and the as sault on the city ended in failure. He was in terred within the city walls. British states men vied with Americans in their praise of Montgomery. Congress testified °their grateful remembrance, profound respect, and high veneration° by placing a monumental tablet to his memory in the front of Saint Paul's Church, Broadway, New York. In 1818 the State of New York had his remains transferred from Canada and buried with imposing solemnities beneath the monument. Consult Armstrong, of Richard Montgomery' (in Biography,' Sparks, J., ed., Boston 1834).