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bei-s of cattle to Scotland that the Lords- Justices felt obliged to interfere, and complained to the English Parliament, in whose interest Monro was acting. In May next year he unsucessfully endea- voured to surprise Owen Eoe O'Neill at Charlemont, and was obliged to retreat with the loss of loo men and a large cattle prey he had taken. On 14th May 1644 he seized Belfast, previously in occupation of an English force. In July of the same year he advanced into the County of Cavan with an army of 10,000 foot and i ,000 horse, and sent parties into Westmeath and Longford, which burnt the houses and crops, and put to the sword all the country people they met. Besides this expedition, he conducted several simi- lar movements during his command in Ulster. He was defeated by Owen Eoe O'Neill at the battle of Benburb, in June 1646, Monro commanded 6,000 foot and 800 horse, whilst O'Neill's army con- sisted of but 5,000 foot and 500 horse. O'Neill occupied a strong position between two hills, with a wood behind him, and the Blackwater on his right. He was there attacked by Monro, who was routed, it is said with loss of half his army, his artillery, baggage, the greater part of his arms, and thirty-two colours. On 13th September 1647, when in command of Carrickfergus, the town was, through the treachery of his own officers, delivered up to General Monck, and he was sent prisoner to the Tower of London, where he lay for five years. Although a cap- tive he is believed to have had consider- able influence with Oromwell. Excepted from pardon for life and estate in 1649, ^^ was ultimately permitted to return to Ireland and compound for his estates. He married the second Viscountess Montgo- mery, and resided at Mount Alexander in the County of Down, until her decease in 1670, and afterwards probably at Cherryvalley, near Comber, in the same county. He was alive in 1680. [His brother. Sir George Monro, served with him both imder Gustavus Adolphus and in Ireland, and was Commander-in-chief of the King's army in Scotland after the Restoration. He died about 1686, The present Sir Charles Monro, Bart., is his lineal descendant.] The surname is in- differently written "Monro," "Monroe," and " Munro." '?°* ^*^ "^'^

Montgomery, Richajrd, a distin- guished genei'al in the American War of Independence, was born near Eaphoe, County of Donegal, 2nd December 1736. His father was member of Parliament for Lifford. Entering the army at eighteen

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years of age. his courage and capacity at the siege of Louisburg won the approval of Wolfe, under whom he served at the taking of Quebec from the French in 1 759, and his regiment formed part of the force sent with Amherst to reduce the French forts on Lake Champlain. Montgomery became adjutant of his regiment, 15th May 1760; and was in the army that marched upon Montreal under Colonel Haviland. Two years afterwards he was appointed cap- tain, and served in the expedition against the Spanish West Indies. Having re- turned home, he, in 1772, sold his com- mission, went back to America, purchased a small estate at Ehinebeck, on the Hud- son, married, and settled down to culti- vate those arts of peace which he was naturally best qualified to enjoy. In April 1775 he was selected as a dele- gate to the first Provincial Convention in New York, where he distinguished himself by promptness of decision and soundness of judgment. In the autumn of the same year he reluctantly accepted from Congress the appointment of Briga- dier-General, reconciling himself to the abandonment of his scheme of a quiet life by the consideration that "the will of an oppressed people, compelled to choose between liberty and slavery, must be obeyed," Ordered by Washington to take part in an expedition against Canada, he was attended as far as Saratoga by his beloved wife, whose fears he soothed by his cheerfulness and good humour. Owing to the illness and incompetency of General Schuyler, Mongomery was obliged to take supreme command of the expedition. He had great difficulties to contend with, from the insubordi- nation and want of patriotism of his troops ; yet, on 3rd November 1775 he took Fort St. John, after a siege of fifty days, on the 12th entered Montreal, and on the sth December effected a junc- tion with Arnold under the walls of Quebec. The town, defended by a garri- son of 2,500 men, with batteries of 200 cannon, was immediately besieged by Montgomery's small force of 1,200 men. Many of his troops, disheartened by severe cold and protracted marches, were on the point of mutiny, and their guns were few in number and insufficient in size. At a council of officers it was determined to attempt to capture Quebec by a coup-de- main. The assault took place early on the morning of 31st December, in the midst of a snow storm, and would probably have been successful, but for the fall of the gallant leader, who, with two of his aides, was killed by the first discharge of a bat-

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