William Reading Montgomery (July 10, 1801 – May 31, 1871) was a career

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

officer who served in the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...

and

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

. He was a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

from May 17, 1861 to April 4, 1864 during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Montgomery received a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

appointment as

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

for gallant and meritorious conduct during his service as

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the 8th United States Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Palo Alto and the

Battle of Resaca de la Palma The Battle of Resaca de la Palma was one of the early engagements of the Mexican–American War, where the United States Army under General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican ''Ejército del Norte'' ("Army of the North ...

, where he was wounded, and a brevet appointment as

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

for gallant and meritorious service with the 8th U.S. Infantry Regiment at the

Battle of Molino del Rey The Battle of Molino del Rey (8 September 1847) was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Mexican–American War as part of the Battle for Mexico City. It was fought in September 1847 between Mexican forces under General Antonio León against ...

, where he also was wounded.Cullum, George W
''George W. Cullum's Register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy''
Revised and Extended. Vol. 1. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1891. . Retrieved June 28, 2020. Page 361.Cullum's Register also can be retrieved online as of June 28, 2020, a

Cullum's Register online. Page 361. Retrieved June 28, 2020. Montgomery was promoted to the full, substantive rank of major in 1852 after which he served on recruiting and garrison duty. Montgomery was dismissed from the U.S. Army in 1855 due to unauthorized real estate transactions, the supposed appropriation of part of the military reserve land at

Fort Riley, Kansas Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Gear ...

for the use of the Pawnee Association as a town when he "had an interest" in that association. Historian Ezra J. Warner states that Montgomery's dismissal from the service for this reason may have been procured by the pro-slavery faction in

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

because of Montgomery's Free State views. Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. . p. 330. Historian Stewart Sifakis supports Warner's view and states that the appropriated government land "was for a townsite that was apparently planned as a free-soil community."Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . Page 453. At the beginning of the American Civil War, Montgomery organized and was briefly

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the 1st Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. The 1st New Jersey Volunteer Regiment was "held in reserve" at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, according to Wilson and Fiske. Wilson, James Grant and John Fiske, eds. ''Appletons' Cyclopaedia Of American Biography'', Volume IV. Lodge-Pickens. New York, D. Appleton & Company, 1888. . Page 372. Sifakis states that Montgomery's regiment was detailed to guard areas around

Arlington Heights, Virginia The Arlington Heights Historic District is a national historic district located at Arlington County, Virginia. It contains 737 contributing buildings and 1 contributing site in a residential neighborhood in central Arlington. The area was formed ...

and

Fairfax Court House, Virginia The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. At the 2010 census the p ...

. Cullum also supports this view by stating that Montgomery first served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. at the start of the war.Cullum, 1891, p. 362. Soon after the Battle of First Bull Run, Montgomery was appointed a

of volunteers to rank from May 17, 1861.Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 394. Thereafter, he served in administrative positions or was awaiting orders. He was military governor of

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

from September to December, 1861; in command of

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

from January 1862 to March 17, 1862 and at

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

from April 4, 1862 to March 2, 1863; awaiting orders at

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( ) is the southernmost city in Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Fort Defiance, a Civil War camp, was built here in 1862 by Union General Ulysses ...

from March to October 1863; on a military commission at

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, October 16, 1863 to March 15, 1864; and on leave of absence from March 15 to April 4, 1864. Montgomery submitted his resignation from the Union Army, which according to Warner was presumably due to ill health, on April 4, 1864. After his resignation was accepted on April 4, 1864, Montgomery briefly dealt in wood moldings at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He then retired to

Bristol, Pennsylvania Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River. It antedates Philadelphia, being settled in 1681 and first incorporat ...

where he died on May 31, 1871.

Early life

William Reading Montgomery was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, on July 10, 1801.Warner, 1864, p. 329. He graduated from the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...

in 1825. He ranked 28th in a class of 37 cadets. Upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy on July 1, 1825, Montgomery was appointed

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

3rd United States Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

and second lieutenant on the same day.Heitman, Francis B
''Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army; From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903.''
Vol. 1 of 2 vols. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903, , Retrieved January 12, 2011. p. 720. Montgomery served first at

Fort Howard, Wisconsin Fort Howard was a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. It was first incorporated as a "borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-gover ...

in 1826; then at Jefferson Barracks Military Post Missouri in 1826‑27; on frontier duty at

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

, Kansas in 1827‑28, and again at Jefferson Barracks in 1829‑30. Montgomery performed the duties of disbursing officer during the removal of the

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

Native Americans from

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

to their reservation in

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

in 1830-31 as well as on commissary duty subsisting the Choctaw in 1832-33. Between these two duties he served at Fort Jesup,

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

in 1831‑32 and on recruiting service in 1832. Montgomery was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

on August 31, 1833. He then served on frontier duty at Fort Jesup in 1833-35, on recruiting service in 1835‑37; again on frontier duty at Fort Jesup in 1837‑38 and on Recruiting service in 1838. During a period of border disturbances Montgomery served at posts along the

Canada–United States border The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...

at Swanton, Vermont in 1838 and at Madison Barracks, Sackett's Harbor, New York later in 1838. Montgomery was promoted to

in the 8th United States Infantry Regiment on July 7, 1838. He served at

Fort Covington, New York Fort Covington ( moh, Kentsia’kowáhne) is a town in Franklin County, New York. The population was 1,676 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a War of 1812 fortification. The original name of the town was ''French Mills''. The town is ...

in 1838‑39, at

Ogdensburg, New York Ogdensburg ( moh, Kaniatarahòn:tsi) is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 10,436 at the 2019 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and de ...

in 1839, on recruiting service in 1839‑40; again in garrison at Sackett's Harbor, New York in 1840 and at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri in 1840. Montgomery served in the

from 1840 to 1842. After the Second Seminole War, he served in the garrison at

Fort Brooke Fort Brooke was a historical military post established at the mouth of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida in 1824. Its original purpose was to serve as a check on and trading post for the native Seminoles who had been confined ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1843-45 and in the military occupation of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

in 1845-46.

Mexican–American War

Montgomery fought in the

from 1846 to 1848 as a captain of the 8th United States Infantry Regiment. He was engaged in the Battle of Palo Alto on May 8, 1846 and the

, May 9, 1846, where he was wounded. Montgomery was appointed brevet

for gallant and meritorious conduct at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. He then served on recruiting service in 1846‑47. Montgomery returned to his regiment in Mexico in 1847‑48 and was engaged in the

Battle of Cerro Gordo The Battle of Cerro Gordo, or Battle of Sierra Gordo, was an engagement in the Mexican–American War on April 18, 1847. The battle saw Winfield Scott's United States troops outflank Antonio López de Santa Anna's larger Mexican army, driving ...

, April 17‑18, 1847, the capture of San Antonio after the

Battle of Contreras The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place on 19–20 August 1847, in one of the final encounters of the Mexican–American War, as invading U.S. forces under Winfield Scott approached the Mexican capital. Americ ...

, August 20, 1847, the

Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, while Santa Anna's army was in retreat from the Battle of Contreras or Battle of Padierna during the Mexican–American War. It was the battle where the San Patricio Battalion, made up ...

, August 20, 1847, and the

, September 8, 1847, where he was wounded in the assault on the Mexican works and for which he was appointed brevet lieutenant colonel. He nonetheless served in the

Battle of Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec was a battle between American forces and Mexican forces holding the strategically located Chapultepec Castle just outside Mexico City, fought 13 September 1847 during the Mexican–American War. The building, sitting a ...

on September 13, 1847 and the Battle for Mexico City, resulting in the capture of

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

on September 13‑14, 1847. Montgomery became eligible for membership in the

Aztec Club of 1847 The Aztec Club of 1847 is a military society founded in 1847 by United States Army officers of the Mexican–American War. It exists as a hereditary organization including members who can trace a direct lineal connection to those originally eligib ...

, but is not listed as among the original members. The club was founded as a military society of officers who were serving with the United States Army at Mexico City after its capture during the Mexican–American War. In 1871, eligibility for membership was extended to all U.S. Army and U.S. Navy (including U.S. Marine Corps) officers who served in Mexico or in Mexican waters during the war or their male descendants. Montgomery is listed on the Aztec Club web site as a qualifying Mexican War officer for membership of descendants in the Aztec Club.

Assignments: 1848–1855

After the Mexican–American War, Montgomery was assigned to garrison duty at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri in 1848‑49; on frontier duty at

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

in 1849 and at Camp Gates, later

Fort Gates Fort Gates, was a United States Army fort established on October 26, 1849, as Camp Gates by Captain William Reading Montgomery and two companies of the 8th Infantry Regiment (United States), Eighth United States Infantry. The fort was located on th ...

Texas in 1849-50. Montgomery founded Fort Gates as Camp Gates, with two companies of the 8th United States Infantry Regiment, about 5 miles east of current

Gatesville, Texas Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County, Texas, United States. Its population was 16,135 at the 2020 census. The city has five of the nine prisons and state jails for women operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. ...

, on October 26, 1849. He served on recruiting service in 1850‑53. Montgomery was promoted to major on December 7, 1852. Montgomery returned to frontier duty at Fort Chadbourne, Texas in 1853; was again on recruiting service in 1853‑54; served in the garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri in 1854; and on frontier duty at

in 1854 and 1855, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1855, at Fort Pierre, Dakota in 1855 and at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1855. While on duty at Fort Riley, Montgomery's anti-slavery Free State views aggravated the pro-slavery faction in the area in 1855. Montgomery was dismissed from the U.S. Army in 1855 due to his apparent appropriation of part of the military reserve land at Fort Riley, Kansas for the use of the Pawnee Association as a town when he had an interest in that association. At least one source, historian Ezra J. Warner, states that Montgomery's dismissal for this reason may have been procured by the pro-slavery faction because of his Free State views. Historian Stewart Sifakis agrees with Warner's possible reason for Montgomery's dismissal. Montgomery's biographical sketch by Wilson and Fiske, 1888, page 372, states that Montgomery acted with strict neutrality despite his free state opinions "but his actions failed to meet with the approval of his superiors." Eicher, page 394 simply states that Montgomery was dismissed from the army on December 8, 1855 for "unauthorized real estate transactions at Fort Riley, Kansas" and Heitman, page 720 simply states that he was dismissed on that date.None of the references for this article state what Montgomery did between December 1855 and the organization of the 1st Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Eicher only states that Montgomery moved to New Jersey after his dismissal from the U.S. Army.

American Civil War

At the outset of the American Civil War, Montgomery organized and briefly was

of the 1st Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was held in reserve at the First Battle of Bull Run. Montgomery's biographical sketch in ''Appletons' Cyclopaedia of American Biography (1888)'' states that Montgomery's regiment "aided in covering he Union Army'sretreat from Bull Run." Sifakis, on the other hand, states that the regiment was detailed to guard areas around Arlington Heights, Virginia and Fairfax Court House, Virginia. In June 1861, near

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers to rank from May 17, 1861. Thereafter, he served in administrative positions or was awaiting orders. Montgomery was military governor of Alexandria, Virginia, September–December 1861, in command at Annapolis, Maryland, January 1862 to March 17, 1862, in command at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1862 to March 2, 1863; awaiting orders at Cairo, Illinois, March to October 1863 and on a military commission at Memphis, Tennessee from October 16, 1863 to March 15, 1864. Montgomery was on leave of absence from March 15 to April 4, 1864. He submitted his resignation from the Union Army, presumably due to ill health according to Warner, which was accepted on April 4. 1864.

Later life

After his service in the Union Army, Montgomery moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and briefly worked as a merchant in dealing wood moldings. He then retired to his home in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Death

William Reading Montgomery died at Bristol, Pennsylvania on May 31, 1871, at aged 69. He is buried at Church of St. James the Greater Cemetery at Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Notes

References

* Aztec Club of 1847
''William R. Montgomery, Qualifying Mexican War Officers for Membership in the Aztec Club of 1847''
Retrieved June 25, 2020. *. * Cullum, George W
''George W. Cullum's Register of Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy''
Revised and Extended. Vol. 1. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1891. . Retrieved June 28, 2020. Cullum's Register also can be retrieved online as of June 28, 2020, a

Cullum's Register online. * Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Heitman, Francis B
''Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army; From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903.''
Vol. 1 of 2 vols. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903, , Retrieved January 12, 2011. * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. . * Wilson, James Grant and John Fiske, eds. ''Appletons' Cyclopaedia Of American Biography'', Volume IV. Lodge-Pickens. New York, D. Appleton & Company, 1888. . Page 372. {{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, William Reading 1801 births 1871 deaths American military personnel of the Mexican–American War United States Army personnel of the Seminole Wars People from Monmouth County, New Jersey People of New Jersey in the American Civil War People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Union Army generals United States Military Academy alumni United States Army officers