Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/445

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crossing the St. Lawrence. Montgomery took p»)ssession of the Isle aiix Noix on Lake Cham- plain, and with 1000 juen laid siege to St. Johns and Chanibly, which surrendered to him, and ad- vanced toward Montreal, which capitulated, Nov. 12, 1775, and for this victory he was made major- general by congress. By the capture of Montreal he obtained possession of all the military stores in the town, and of eleven vessels in the harbor, General Carleton having with great difficulty re- treated to Quebec. The central object of the ex- pedition now only remained; as Montgomery wrote in a letter to his father-in-law, Rol)ert R. Livingston, "until Quebec is taken, Canada is unconquered." He effected a junction with Arnold, who had a force of 700 men, before the walls of Quebec, Dec. 3, 1775. The combined at- tack was made on both sides of the place, Dec. 31, 1775, Montgomery leading his little force of 500 men in the midst of a heavy snow-storm. The firet barrier, Pres de Ville under Cape Dia- mond, was carried, and Montgomery at their head shouted " Men of New York, you will not fear to follow where your general leads! " The little army pushed forward. In the windows of a house which overlooked the second barrier, two cannon had been placed, which, upon Mont- gomery's appearance on a little rising ground, were discharged. Montgomery and his two aids, McPherson and Captain Chessman, being in ad- vance, were in- stantly killed. His soldiers with those of Arnold became at once demor- alized and the British troops pursued the defeated army from the city and captured about 400 men. M o ntgomery's body was found partly covered bythe snow and the British commander ordered him buried within the walls surrounding the powder maga- zine, and accorded the body the honor of a mili- tary burial. After reposing for forty-two years, his remains were removed at the request of the legislature of the state of New York to New York city and interred in St. Paul's chapel church- yard. The journey from Quebec to New York was attended by civic honors, notably at Albany, July 4, 1818, and on the voyage down the Hudson on the steamer Richmond, passing Montgomery Place, the home of the widow, who

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viewed the vessel from the portico. The death of Montgomery was deeply felt by friend and foe, and congress proclaimed its '* grateful remem- brance, rerti)ect and high veneration." The city of New York erected a monument under the por- tico of St. Paul's chapel on the Broadway front. A tablet w.'is also erected upon the spot where he fell at Quebec, by the Sons of the American Rev- olution in 1901. Mrs. Montgomery survived her husband for (ifty-two years and after completing the home commenced Vjy the general in 1774 at Rhinebeck Flats, known as the " Rhinebeck Place," removed to the immediate east bank of the Hudson above Barrytown, where she erected " Montgomery Place " which continued to be lier home up to the time of her deiith in November, 1827. General Montgomery died at Quebec, Canada. Dec. 31, 1775.

MONTGOMERY, Thomas, representative, was born in Nelson county, Va., previous to 1779; son of William Montgomery, and grandson of William Montgomery, who removed with his wife and sons and their families to Kentucky from Virginia in 1779, and in 1780 settled near the head of Greene river about twelve miles from Logan's fort. In March of that year, William Mont- gomery the elder was killed in an attack on the settlement by the Indians. Thomas received a thorough English education, was admitted to the bar, and practised at Stanford, Ky. He served as judge of the circuit court of Lincoln county; was a Democratic representative in the 13th congress, 1813-15; was elected to the 16th con- gress to fill out the unexpired term of Tunstall Quarles, Jr., and to the 17th congress, serving 1820-23. He died at Stanford, Ky., April 2, 1828.

MONTGOMERY, William, representative, was born in Guilford county, N.C., Dec. 29, 1789; son of William and Hannah (Forbus) Mont- gomery, and grandson of William and Margaret Montgomery, who came to Pennsylvania from Scotland in 1680, and shortly afterward settled in Guilford county, N.C. He studied medicine with an old German physician and practised in Al- bright's, Orange county, N.C. He married, April 24, 1814, Sarah Albright, also of German ances- try, and they had ten children. He was elected state senator from Orange county in 1824 and served continuously with but one intermission until 1834. He was a Democratic representative in the 24th, 25tli and 26th congresses, 1835-41, and in 1840 declined re-election. He died at Al- bright's, N.C, Nov. 30, 1843.

MONTGOMERY, William, representative, was born in Canton township. Pa., April 11, 1818; son of William (1792-1858) and Elizabeth (Kelly) Montgomery. His father was a native of Ar- magh, Ireland, son of William (1745-1774). grand- son of Joseph (1703-1774), great-grandson of