No two men could possibly be more different than Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold; and yet fate called them together to fight for a common cause—the freedom of the American colonies from Britain. The first was a career military man born to a landed family in Ireland and trained in the British army. The second, a man who learned his trade as an apprentice in Connecticut and earned a reputation and wealth as a colonial merchant. These two were not only opposites as the result of life experience, but they were also temperamentally very different people.

We learn about Richard Montgomery from the writings of his contemporaries, and especially from the reminiscences and recollections of Janet Livingston, his widow. Janet and Richard were married in the summer of 1773, just two years before he was appointed Brigadier General under Major General Philip Schuyler who was then making plans for the campaign to invade Canada.

“Unknown as his modesty led him to suppose himself to be, he was chosen, early in 1775, one of the Council of Fifty, to New York, from Duchess County. Although he received this call with surprise, and left his retirement with no small regret, he hesitated not a moment. The times were dangerous, but he shrank not from the duties of a citizen. While thus engaged Congress determined to raise troops in defense of our rights. Philip Schuyler was appointed the Major general, and the appointment of Brigadier-general was tendered to Montgomery. Before accepting it, he came into his wife’s room and asked her to make up for him the ribbon-cockade which was to be placed in his hat. He saw her emotion and marked the starting tear. With persuasive motion he said to her : ‘ Our country is in danger. Unsolicited, in two instances, I have been distinguished by two honorable appointments. As a politician I could not serve them. As a soldier I think I can. Shall I then accept the one, and shrink from the other in dread of danger? My honor is engaged.”

“Mrs. Montgomery took the ribbon, and he continued: ‘I am satisfied. Trust me. You shall never blush for your Montgomery.’ The next day, when Montgomery opened his commission, he found all the commissions of his brigade left in blank. Such was the trust reposed in him.”

In 1876 Louise Livingston Hunt published biographical notes written by Mrs. Montgomery and carefully transcribed from the original manuscripts which were kept at Montgomery Place, the last home of Janet Livingston Montgomery. The letters that Janet preserved from her soldier, showed his kindness and tenderness to her as he consistently tried to assuage her fears and fill her loneliness even as he fulfilled his command leading the invasion of British Canada.

Montgomery’s abilities as a leader are described by Hal T. Shelton and Michael P. Gabriel in their biographical works about the General. Both Schuyler and Montgomery often showed concern about the training and discipline of the colonial troops. In May 1775 Schuyler wrote to Washington after surprising a group of negligent sentinels asleep on guard duty; “The officers and men are all good-looking people, and decent in their deportment, and I really believe will make good soldiers as soon as I can get the better of this nonchalance of theirs. Bravery, I believe, they are far from wanting.”

Montgomery also had reservations about how well the New England men and the New Yorkers would get along. There were problems with his officers who were unsure of the obedience of their men and soldiers who became so unnerved that they would not follow the commands of their superiors and who would bolt at any opportunity. Although Montgomery’s first inclination was to use standard military practice, he found that the use of court martials would not work with these recruits. He then modified his methods to instill a measure of discipline and fighting mettle in the men. He told Schuyler, “I have endeavored to make them ashamed of themselves, and hope that this won’t happen again.” In general, he seems to have developed a favorable working relationship with the troops, whose undisciplined style of soldiering based on the American ideals of democracy and freedom were often contrary to the dictates of military command.

Montgomery also had issues with his fellow officers. He and Schuyler, both officers in the British army during the French and Indian wars, enjoyed a mutually respectful and close personal and professional relationship. Schuyler supported Montgomery even when Montgomery gave the orders to head north that began the Quebec campaign without Schuyler’s direct order while the latter was in Albany. However, many of the field officers deferred to the “democratic” sentiments of the troops and felt that the troops should have a vote whether or not to follow the General’s plan as happened at the siege of Fort St. Jean. They also were critical of what they claimed was Montgomery’s leniency to the prisoners taken at Chambly. For his part, the General was intending to affect a prisoner swap with Sir Guy Carleton, Commander of the British forces and was following the practices he learned as a soldier in the British army.

Montgomery overcame his frustrations with the Congress and continued to carry out the orders leading the assault on Quebec which would cost him his life on December 31, 1775. But his heart was in the movement. With such feelings of ardent devotion did he give himself up to the cause of American liberty that, when called upon by Congress to quit the retirement of his farm in order to become one of the first eight brigadier-generals, he wrote to a friend, “ that the honor, though entirely unexpected and undeserved, he felt to be the will of an oppressed people, which must be obeyed ; “ and he accordingly went immediately into active service.

On November 24, 1775, from Montreal, Montgomery wrote to Janet:

“To-morrow I hope to set out for Quebec, to join Col. Arnold, who is impatient to see us. His little army has undergone inexpressible hardships and entered the country half-starved and half-naked. Should fortune continue her favor we may perhaps bring that business to a happy issue. In the meantime, adieu!

“ Believe me most affect’ly your

“RICHARD MONTGOMERY.”