On this day in 1776, the nation’s first Revolutionary War memorial was authorized by the Continental Congress to honor Brigadier General Richard Montgomery. He became one of the first generals of the American Revolution to lose his life on the battlefield. After just having taken Montreal, Montgomery joined General Benedict Arnold to form a two-pronged invasion against Quebec. Instead of waiting for the city to surrender, the Patriots decided to gather their men and invade the enemy stronghold. On December 31, 1775, Montgomery and Arnold attacked in two columns in a blinding snowstorm. While leading his men into Quebec, Montgomery was surprised by artillery fire. He was killed in the first discharge. The British buried the body where it lay but in 1818, Montgomery was relocated to St. Paul’s Church in New York City. After his death, a state memorial service was also scheduled and carried out on February 19, 1776. Throughout the colonies, Montgomery was viewed as a hero. Montgomerys 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. Newspapers in London paid tribute to Montgomery, with the Evening Post. When word of his death reached Philadelphia, Congress voted to create a monument to Montgomerys memory and entrusted Benjamin Franklin to secure one of Frances best artists to craft it. Franklin hired King Louis XVs personal sculptor, Jean Jacques Caffieri, to design and build the monument. Upon its completion in 1778, the Montgomery memorial was shipped to America and arrived at Edenton, North Carolina, where it remained for several years. Although originally intended for Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Congress eventually decided to place the memorial in New York City. In 1788, it was installed under the direction of Major Pierre Charles LEnfant beneath the portico of St. Pauls Chapel, which served as George Washingtons church during his time in New York as the United States first president in 1789, and where it remains to this day. Montgomerys body, which was originally interred on the site of his death in Quebec, was moved to St. Pauls in 1818. Richard Montgomery, was born in Convoy House, near Raphoe, County Donegal, Ireland on December 2nd, 1736, the son of Thomas Montgomery, a member of the British Parliament from Lifford. Richard was well educated, having graduated from Trinity College in Dublin. He entered the 17th Regiment of Foot as an Ensign on August 21st, 1756. His Regiment was ordered to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where in 1758 he took part in the siege of the fort at Louisburg, under the command of General James Wolfe. He was promoted to Lieutenant because of his exhibited bravery during the action.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 11:12:13 +0000
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