Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 38.djvu/254

 tow of others, they all appeared capable of defending themselves, and fourteen of them seemed to be ordinarily effective. Of Howe's success Montagu had no information. All he could hope was that by stretching to the southward, with a northerly wind, he might tempt the French so far to leeward of their port that Howe, if following them up, might be able to secure them. The French commander, Villaret, however, was not inclined to run such a risk, and, after a slight demonstration of chasing him, resumed his course and steered for Brest, while Montagu, after looking for Howe to the north-west, and failing to find him, bore away for the Channel, and on the 12th anchored in Cawsand Bay. In 1823 Captain Brenton,in relating these events in the first volume of his 'Naval History,' pp. 296-300, attacked Montagu's conduct in not bringing on a general action, and said that ' Lord Chatham and the board of admiralty expressed some displeasure at the conduct of the rear-admiral, and he was ordered or permitted to strike his flag.' Montagu published 'A Refutation of the Incorrect Statements and Unjust Insinuations contained in Captain Brenton's "Naval History of Great Britain," as far as the same refers to the Conduct of Admiral Sir George Montagu ; in a Letter addressed to the Author.' Montagu was perhaps too old, too angry, and too little practised in literary fence to punish Brenton as he deserved ; but he had no difficulty in showing that Brenton's facts were untrue [see ].

Howe and the admiralty fully approved of Montagu's conduct ; and when, in bad health, rendered worse by the shock of his brother's death on 1 June, he applied for permission to resign his command, they both expressed their regret and a hope that his absence might be short (, i. 41-2). On 1 June 1795 he was promoted to be vice-admiral, and in March 1799 he was offered the command at the Nore, which he declined, as beneath his rank. In April 1800 Lord St. Vincent offered him the post of second in command in the Channel ; but other officers were appointed by the admiralty, and there was no vacancy (Addit. MS. 31158, ff. 113, 117). On 1 Jan. 1801 he was made admiral ; but when shortly afterwards he applied for a command, St. Vincent, who had become first lord of the admiralty, replied that he had learned there was 'an insuperable bar' to his 'being employed in any way.' He refused to say what the bar was ; but it would appear to have been some misunderstanding of his conduct in 1794, as it gave way on a perusal of the official letters which Montagu had received at the time, and in 1803 he was appointed commander-in-chief at Portsmouth. He held this post for five years and a half, and in August 1810 was presented with 'a superb piece of plate' as 'a tribute of respect and esteem' by the captains who had fitted out at Portsmouth during his command. On 2 Jan. 1815 he was nominated a G.C.B., but had no service after the peace. He died on 24 Dec. 1829.

Montagu married in 1783 his first cousin, Charlotte, daughter and coheiress of George Wroughton of Wilcot, Wiltshire, and had issue a daughter and four sons, of whom the eldest, George Wroughton, assumed the name of Wroughton in 1826, and died a lieutenant-colonel in the army in 1871. The second, John William, died an admiral on the retired list in 1882; the third, James, was also a retired admiral at his death in 1868 ; the fourth, Edward (d. 1820), was in holy orders. The daughter, Georgiana (d. 1836), married Sir John Gore [q. v.]

 MONTAGU (formerly BRUDENELL), GEORGE BRUDENELL, of a new creation, and fourth  (1712–1790), eldest son of George Brudenell, third earl of Cardigan, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bruce, eldest daughter of Thomas, second earl of Ailesbury, was born on 26 July 1712, and on the death of his father, 5 July 1732, succeeded as fourth earl of Cardigan. He married in 1730 the Lady Mary Montagu, third daughter and coheiress of John, second duke of Montagu, and last of that creation [see Montagu, John (1688?-1749) (DNB00), second ], and on the death of that nobleman in 1749 took the name and arms of Montagu. On 13 March 1762 he was made K.G. while beyond seas, this being the first investiture of a subject in absentia. In 1766 dukedoms were offered to Cardigan and Sir Hugh Smithson, both being husbands of daughters of dukes whose ducal honours had become extinct at their death. But George III proposed to limit the titles in entail to the issue in each case of the ladies whose ducal parentage suggested the new titles. Smithson accepted, and was at once made Duke of Northumberland, but Cardigan objected to the restriction, and soon after (6 Nov. 1766) received the dukedom of Montagu without the limitation (, Letters, vi. 209). In 1776 Montagu was appointed governor to the youthful Prince of Wales [see IV] and his brother, the 