First to Fall Part 2: First Hero

Autumn Winds

Brigadier General Richard Montgomery tugged at his leather glove as the line of poorly fed and poorly armed men marched northward. The winds were strengthening, and the skies looked like slate. His eyes shifted to the dense forests to the north – Canada. We must strike quickly, or these lads will leave their bones here. 

Brigadier General Richard Montgomery

Isle of Hope

On September 4th, Schuyler joined Montgomery with an additional 800 men. Now, he had 2,000 poorly trained and poorly equipped soldiers. Schuyler was also ill. Despite this, the aging New Yorker ordered the army to move toward a small island on the Richelieu River called Île aux Noix. With little time left, on September 6th, Montgomery led a force north to their first goal, Fort St. John's, which protected the route to Montreal. Paddles and oars brushed the dark waters, each stroke bringing the army and Montgomery closer to their destiny. They carried more than just bullets in their pouches. Schuyler, who was in poor health and unable to lead the expedition, had drafted a proclamation calling the Canadians "Friends and Countrymen" and pleading for their support in driving the British out of the territory. They would be disappointed in this hope. Montgomery’s probing attack failed. Although he managed to repel an ambush of about 100 Indians under Captain Matthew Mead, Schuyler feared the fort couldn't be taken by storm and ordered Montgomery to return to the island, which the Americans then fortified.

Area of Operations around Montreal

Fort St. Johns 

Montgomery decided to make another attempt at Fort St. Johns, but this attack was no more successful. In a series of errors, the two pincers of the American assault collided in the dark, muddy woods. Each thought they had encountered the British, and both forces fled. A furious Montgomery was able to stop the retreat and redirect them toward the fort.

His men advanced under withering British grapeshot fire, and the assault on the British breastworks was driven back. Montgomery planned another attack on the fort. However, half the New England troops fled. Montgomery, believing his force could no longer take the fort, retreated to Île aux Noix. When Schuyler’s illness forced him to return to Fort Ticonderoga, command of the late-start and ill-equipped operation was now his.

On September 16, Montgomery launched another expedition against the British fort. This time, he had 1,400 men along with a naval component consisting of two small ships and ten bateaux carrying 350 troops. The bateaux would counter the HMS Royal Savage. Montgomery arrived with the main force the following day. A month-long siege began, with the defenders outmanned and the attackers outgunned. The British garrison of 725 men was commanded by Major Charles Preston, who had been Montgomery's superior officer in the British Army just three years earlier. After initial skirmishing, Montgomery proceeded to besiege the fort. Progress was slow. Montgomery was everywhere at once, encouraging the building of siege lines and often coming under fire himself. 

                                                                        Fort St. John

On September 22, the fiery general was inspecting the breastworks when a cannon shot from the fort flew by, tearing his coattails and causing him to tumble down. By luck and skill, Montgomery managed to land on his feet. His men watched and were all impressed by his Sang Froid. Their commander was a man of steel nerves. However, by early October, they still had not closed the ring on the fort, despite bringing in more guns. One battery did sink HMS Royal Savage, but Montgomery’s forces remained outgunned in most areas. 

In mid-October, James Livingston, a relative of Janet Montgomery, recommended that Montgomery attempt to attack nearby Fort Chambly, which was a weaker post than St. John. He agreed and launched a night assault ten miles down the river. In two days, the fort surrendered 83 men and a large amount of valuable powder. However, the most significant prize was the colors of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, which he sent to the bedridden Schuyler – marking the first time a British battle flag fell into American hands.

The King's Colors of the 7th Royal Fusiliers

This boosted morale, and Montgomery was able to get his men to reinforce the defenses around Fort St. John. They also managed to repel a relief force sent from Montreal by General Guy Carleton, the British commander in Canada. By November 1st, the new batteries positioned north of the fort completed the encirclement. They launched a bombardment that shattered walls and buildings, causing little damage but significantly lowering the defenders' morale. As night fell on the battlefield, Montgomery ordered a cease-fire and sent a flag of truce. During the night, the Americans intercepted a dispatch from Carleton instructing Major Preston to continue his defense. The following day, the fort surrendered with full military honors, and its garrison marched off to imprisonment. One can't help but wonder what might have happened if the message had gone through. 

Montreal

Montgomery’s first major victory was now within his reach. But the weather and the terrain proved to be tough allies for the British. His men trudged across rugged ground covered with ice and snow. An early winter storm made progress even harder. He encouraged his men forward, knowing Carleton and his army were nearly cornered. When he learned of a British attempt to escape, he sent a detachment to Sorrel. After brief fighting, the British withdrew. Smoke rising from Montreal's chimneys welcomed Montgomery’s troops as they approached the city. A surrender demand failed, however, and as negotiations dragged on, Carleton managed to slip down the St. Lawrence River to the safety of Quebec. On November 13, Montgomery’s exhausted men entered a city without defenders - a Pyrrhic victory. 

Guy Carleton

 Back in Montreal, Montgomery insisted that the captured British prisoners be treated kindly. After all, many of them were not long before his comrades in arms. However, some of his own officers were unhappy with this. Montgomery was disappointed by another act of indiscipline, and only protests from the commander-in-chief prevented him from resigning.

Quebec

Determined to finish the campaign, Montgomery sailed to Quebec City on November 28 with 300 of his best men. Four days later, he joined forces with Benedict Arnold's remaining men at Pointe aux Trembles, just upriver from Quebec. Montgomery took command of both groups, and his first action was to deliver much-needed clothing and supplies to the exhausted “rabble in arms” marching through the Maine wilderness. But winter was tightening its grip on Canada, forcing him to act swiftly. The next day, his combined force moved downstream and encircled Quebec. On December 7, he sent a letter with an ultimatum, but it was burned by Carleton. Montgomery then tried to win the Canadians over to the cause, but his envoy was arrested. Desperate to reach Les Habitants (the locals), he had his proclamation shot over the city wall with bows and arrows. However, they stayed loyal to their new rulers.

Quebec City was the Key to Canada

Now Montgomery had to do the tough work of a siege. Several mortars began shelling the city, but their shells caused little damage. Undeterred, Montgomery moved another battery onto the Plains of Abraham, the site of the battle that decided the city's fate in the French and Indian War. The guns were closer to the walls but also more exposed. Still, by December 15, Montgomery had his batteries in position. Anxious for a resolution, he once again asked for Carleton’s surrender. When Carleton refused, Montgomery’s batteries opened fire. The guns failed to make an impact and were immediately threatened by effective British counter-battery fire. He was forced to order them back. 

Quebec City and Environs

With supplies running low, morale weakening, and winter approaching, Montgomery had no choice but to storm the city. He decided to attack the Lower Town district (Saint-Roch) on the bank of the Saint Lawrence while Arnold would assault the powerful Cape Diamond Bastion. He planned the attack during a stormy night, hoping the weather would conceal their movement from the British. An attack scheduled for December 27 was canceled when the weather cleared. He was forced to revise his plans after someone defected to the British and revealed his strategies.

Montgomery's situation required 

careful planning and flexibility

Montgomery prepared his plan. He aimed for a two-prong attack on the Lower Town, coming from the south, while Arnold would attack from the north. To mislead the British, Montgomery used a deception tactic. He ordered the 1st Canadian Regiment (local fighters who had joined the American cause) to fire at one of the gates, while a separate group engaged the defenders at Cape Diamond Bastion. The signal for the assault was rocket fire. Montgomery’s unimpressive artillery would bombard the city during the feint attacks. This was a bold and risky move. One Montgomery was reluctant to make, but he had no alternative. As George Washington would face a year later, expiring enlistments were draining the army, and many would be gone by January 1. 

A Night to Remember, and Forget

Montgomery experienced his second snowstorm on the night of December 30. He quickly issued the order. Shivering but now energized, the Americans gathered in the wind and snow. The night was cold, dark, and intense, with wind howling and snow swirling. Where was the signal? At 4 am, an orange burst lit up the sky. Boot steps muffled by the wind and snow as his men made their way to the lower town. However, the British were warned by the rockets, and the walls were well-manned. 

Night attack in a snowstorm

With their general at the front, the Americans edged down the steep and slippery cliffs and arrived just below the city walls. As if they didn't have enough obstacles, a palisade at the edge of the Lower Town now blocked their way! Axemen ran to the front and began chopping through. Then Montgomery personally led his column through the opening. Unknown to Montgomery, he was now a major general, promoted by Congress on December 9 for his victories at St. Johns and Montreal. Seeing a two-story blockhouse blocking their path, he had no time to waste or hesitate. He drew his sword and led the troops toward it, shouting, "Come on, my good soldiers, your general calls upon you to come on."

Quebec's defenders proved formidable

The desperate men gripped their muskets tightly and moved forward. About fifty yards away, an equally determined group of Canadian militia and British sailors in the blockhouse unleashed a barrage of musket balls and grapeshot. Montgomery was hit in the head and both thighs by grapeshot and died instantly. The deadly fire brought down two of his captains.

Death of Montgomery

The attack fell apart after Montgomery’s death. The Americans retreated chaotically. A staff officer named Aaron Burr tried to carry Montgomery’s body back but failed. Meanwhile, Benedict Arnold's attack, which had started well, also broke down when Arnold was wounded in the leg by a ball. Many of his men, including Daniel Morgan, were forced to surrender to the British bayonets. With the guns suddenly silent, the howling wind and snow marked the end of the effort to connect Canada to the American cause. 

Benedict Arnold

Honors in Death

Montgomery was highly respected by the British for his previous service and his humane treatment of prisoners at Montreal. Carleton had him buried modestly but with honor on January 4. Some of his men, now prisoners, watched their beloved and heroic general during the solemn funeral. Meanwhile, Arnold, with a bandaged leg, took command of the battered army. His efforts to save the lost cause would be heroic and extraordinary but ultimately futile.

First Hero – First Monument

News of Richard Montgomery’s death was a heavy blow to the Northern Department. Schuler wrote, "My amiable friend, the gallant Montgomery, is no more; the brave Arnold is wounded; and we have met a severe setback in an unsuccessful attempt on Quebec. May Heaven be graciously pleased that the misfortune may end here." For a time, news of his death was kept quiet to delay the morale decline that would follow.

Phillip Schuyler

Washington was dismayed at the loss. So struck by Montgomery’s valiant death, Congress commissioned a monument to him and held a memorial service. He was celebrated as a hero throughout the colonies – perhaps the nation’s first national hero. 

The Montgomery Monument

Significantly, Montgomery's death was mourned in Britain, and his former Whig allies used his death as an opportunity to criticize British policy. British Prime Minister Lord North acknowledged his qualities as a man but condemned him as a rebel. However, many of the London papers actually paid tribute to Montgomery. 

Lord North

Montgomery’s widow, Janet, dedicated her life to protecting his legacy. She moved to the house near Rhinebeck, which she had initially hoped to keep before the war. She also rejected a marriage proposal from former Continental general and British officer Horatio Gates. This was noteworthy in a society where widows usually remarried. 

Final Farewell

In 1818, Governor Stephen van Rensselaer of New York had Montgomery's body moved to New York. About 5,000 mourners participated in his funeral procession, and on July 8, he was laid to rest for the last time next to the Montgomery monument at St. Paul’s Church. The ceremony provided some closure for Janet Montgomery, who was pleased with the honors given to the soldier she loved.

In closing, Montgomery, Alabama, named after America's first hero, unveiled a statue of its namesake in 2019 as part of its bicentennial celebration. It is somehow touching that a man who died in the cold of the North would be honored by citizens in the deep South. 

Montgomery statue in Alabama

First to Fall: Richard Montgomery

Quebec: 31 December 1775

Swirling snow shattered the cold night’s darkness. Desperately cold and weary men stood in the courtyard, their nervous eyes scanning the dark walls for the enemy they knew was waiting. Their leader stepped forward. Eyeing a two-story blockhouse blocking their way, he had no time to lose, nor any hesitation. He drew his sword and led the troops toward it, shouting, "Come on, my good soldiers, your general calls upon you to come on."

Richard Montgomery

First Fallen 

The Continental Army lost several general officers in or directly because of combat during the American War for Independence. Generals High Mercer, Johann de Kalb, and Kazimierz Pulaski often come to mind. David Wooster not so much. And one, Major General Joseph Warren, surprisingly fell serving as a private soldier at Bunker Hill in 1775. Although Warren was a militia general and not leading Continental troops, he still deserves recognition. But who was the first American general to fall while leading a group of American troops?

Hugh Mercer: most celebrated

 fallen general

Son of Ireland

Not surprisingly, considering the timing, we are in the month of the Feast of Saint Patrick. He was a son of Ireland named Richard Montgomery. Born in Swords, County Dublin, Richard Montgomery was born into Ulster-Scots privilege on December 2, 1738. His family roots traced back to Donegal, but his branch of the Montgomery clan was now rooted in the Dublin-London connection. His father served as a member of parliament. His brothers also pursued the common British path of politics and military service. Young Richard followed that path as well, but with some interesting twists and turns along the way. Like many of his class, he entered Trinity College in Dublin but left before graduation to accept a commission in the 17th Regiment of Foot, purchased by his father in 1756. And why not? What better way to make a name for himself and advance than by following the colors?

Fighting France 

The French and Indian War (Seven Years' War) served as the training ground for Montgomery, just as it did for many others on both sides who later fought in the American Revolution. Ensign Montgomery was about to embark on a whirlwind of action and adventure. His regiment was shipped to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where it joined a large British army preparing for the siege of Louisbourg, a fortress on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island. This massive fort had played a key role in every struggle for North America. Now, two of Britain’s top generals, James Abercromby and Jeffrey Amherst, had the forces to do it. On June 8, 1758, the attack began. Montgomery landed on the beach under heavy fire and ordered his troops to advance with fixed bayonets. The French outposts were overrun, and the siege commenced. The siege was successful, and General Amherst was impressed by Montgomery's actions during it, promoting him to lieutenant. 

Siege of Louisbourg

Struggle for New York 

The Louisbourg campaign was followed by intense fighting in the wilds of central New York the next month, with the 17th and Montgomery deeply involved. The waterways—Lake Champlain, the Richelieu, the Hudson, and the Mohawk Rivers—served as a strategic route through the mountains between central New York and Canada. Fans of "The Last of the Mohicans" can appreciate the setting, which features rugged slopes, large, dark, and deep lakes, swollen rivers, and lush valleys. The key fortifications of Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) and Crown Point became focal points of deadly conflict. Still, it was a beautiful place where men blasted and carved each other to pieces. Montgomery’s skills were sharpened here; he learned patrols, picketing, and close combat. 

Fort Ticonderoga

The British eventually forced the French to retreat to the northern tip of Lake Champlain, gaining a strategic advantage. The 17th regiment spent 1759 in the Mohawk Valley under General Monkton’s command, who appointed Montgomery as adjutant on May 15—marking his distinction and potential. In August 1760, the 17th regiment moved toward Montreal as part of a three-pronged effort to capture the city. Montgomery’s regiment seized Isle aux Noix and Fort Chambly, then joined British regiments outside Montreal, which the Marquis de Vaudreuil, Canada's French governor, soon surrendered. However, the war was far from over.

French withdrawing north on Lake Champlain

French West Indies

The fall of Montreal gave the British control of North America, allowing them to now focus on the West Indies, where valuable sugar islands awaited. The 17th regiment sailed south after securing Canada. There were French and Spanish islands to conquer. The British took a beachhead on the key French island of Martinique and then launched an attack that overwhelmed the French outer defenses. The French survivors retreated into the capital, Fort Royal. This time, before the British could even start an attack, the French surrendered. The remaining French islands in the French West Indies—Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent—quickly followed. On 6 May 1762, Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell promoted Montgomery to captain and assigned him command of a company in the 17th.

The British invasion of Martinique

Fighting Spain

Now Britain could turn against France's ally, Spain. Since Spanish Cuba controlled the approaches to the Indies and North America, it was a prime target. On June 6, British forces arrived off Havana's coast. Before them stood Moro Fort, the key to the Spanish defense of the city. It had to be taken. British battleships bombarded the fort, silencing all but two Spanish guns. On July 30, Captain Montgomery and the 17th Foot stormed and captured the fort. In late August 1762, Montgomery and the 17th Foot were sent to New York. The long and bloody war ended with the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763. At the time, the British triumph was resounding: a world empire! Few could have imagined that the treaty would lead to even more conflict, political unrest, and a longer war.

Pontiac's War

Things did not quiet down in North America after France’s surrender. Angered that the French ceded their lands to the British and the land-hungry colonists, the tribes erupted into action in April 1763. The Ottawa chief, Pontiac, organized 18 tribes in a wave of attacks on British military and civilian settlements. Eight British forts fell, and two more were abandoned. General Amherst ordered the 17th to Albany in June 1763 to help fight the outbreak of hostilities. This would bring experience in Indian fighting and, more importantly, the start of a lifelong passion.

Pontiac's War threatened Britain's new western lands

Romantic Interlude

Sailing up the North River to Albany, Montgomery’s vessel ran aground near Clermont Manor, NY, home of the influential Livingston family. The family entertained the ship's officers while their vessel was being repaired. This was fortunate for the bachelor Montgomery, who met Janet, the 20-year-old daughter of wealthy and powerful Robert Livingston. It’s unclear if love blossomed at first sight, but Janet noticed Montgomery was not with the same group of officers when they returned to New York after the campaign. Clearly, the young Irishman made an impression.

Janet Livingston

Indian Fighter

The 17th spent 1764 on garrison duty at Fort Stanwix. While there, Montgomery requested leave from Colonel Campbell and General Thomas Gage to return to England for recovery from ill health caused by service in the Indies. Gage approved his leave, but only after the upcoming expedition.

Ottawa War Chief Pontiac

In July, Montgomery’s regiment joined John Bradstreet’s expedition to Fort Niagara, providing security for Royal Indian Agent Sir William Johnson’s conference with the Great Lakes tribes. By August, the regiment was marched through woods and fields to Fort Detroit, the target of Pontiac’s attacks. Montgomery’s company was assigned to work on moving earth, logs, and stone to strengthen the beleaguered fort’s defenses. His leave was still on hold.

Sir William Johnson

The following month, Montgomery received a break when General Bradstreet took him to Sandusky for a meeting with the Shawnee and the Delawares. After successful negotiations with the Iroquois, Bradstreet released Montgomery, who was then tasked with delivering dispatches to Gage before heading to England. Upon returning to London, Montgomery soon became involved in the city's political circles.

General John Bradstreet

English Interlude

His health having improved, he associated with Whig Members of Parliament, who generally supported the colonists in their demands for more political freedom. Several of their prominent figures, Isaac Barre, Edmund Burke, and Charles James Fox, befriended the young officer. Political discussions with these and others led him to question government policies. When the 17th Foot returned to England in 1768, he was tasked with recruiting men to replace those lost to war and disease. Montgomery also experienced romantic disappointment when an arranged engagement ended because his fiancée proved unfaithful. 

Edmund Burke

After months and years of active service, the dull routine of the peacetime army often aggravates ambitious men. Montgomery was no exception. In 1771, he discovered that he had been passed over for a promotion, possibly due to his Whig politics. He sold his commission for about £1,500 in 1772 and set sail for America in July. Spurned by a woman and the army, Montgomery had sworn to never marry or take up arms again. His goal was to become a gentleman farmer in the New World.

Colonial Life

Montgomery settled in a part of America he knew well: New York. Perhaps recalling his time on the Hudson, Montgomery rekindled his relationship with the wealthy young Janet Livingston. He purchased a farm at King's Bridge, 13 miles north of New York City. As he adjusted to his surroundings, Montgomery's "renewed acquaintance" blossomed into something more. Janet later recalled that his "politeness led him to make me a visit." The courtship led to an engagement, and by the following July, the confirmed bachelor found himself in wedded bliss.

Montgomery settled along the North (Hudson) River

Honeymoon on Hudson

Montgomery leased his farm to a tenant and moved into a cottage gifted to them by Janet’s grandfather, Judge Beekman. The cottage was located on the Post Road in Rhinebeck. Montgomery purchased some of the nearby lands and began building the farmstead, laying the groundwork for a larger home called "Grasmere." Montgomery told Janet he was never happier, but believed it couldn't last. For her part, Janet had a dream in which Montgomery was killed in a duel by his brother. He was determined to enjoy their brief happiness and insisted it be left to God. So, the couple enjoyed their wedded bliss. But not for long.

The Montgomery Cottage

Times of Upheaval

As the colonies began to question Parliament’s authority, political unrest evolved into resistance. By 1775, Montgomery began to oppose the British government, which he saw as oppressive. Being connected to one of New York’s most patriotic families also helped. The former British Army captain now viewed himself as an American, not an Englishman. 

Parliament

Provincial Politician

In May, Montgomery represented Dutchess County in New York’s new Provincial Congress. Although Montgomery had not sought political involvement, he had quickly become a well-respected local leader. He was obliged to attend the session in New York City, some 80 miles south of Rhinebeck.

New York was rife with political strife

At the first session in May, Montgomery joined the other 97 delegates in approving a resolution legitimizing its authority. Yet he was still only a “moderate" patriot. Although he viewed the British Government as wrong in its policies, he still wanted honorable reconciliation. But the faction still loyal to George III was on the wane. Few of those delegates even showed up.  But Montgomery stayed.  He would fight for his rights as a Briton and an American. Due to his military experience, Montgomery was appointed to a committee tasked with planning defense works around New York and organizing and supplying the new provincial militia.

War for Independence

After George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the newly formed Continental Army on June 15, 1775, the Second Continental Congress asked the New York Provincial Government to select two men for service in the army. One would be a major general, and the other a brigadier general. The assembly favored the wealthy and well-connected Philip Schuyler as the major general, despite his lack of military experience. The more highly qualified Montgomery was made a brigadier general. Montgomery expressed reluctance to return to military life. Perhaps his premonition returned to haunt him, but he agreed to serve.

Phillip Schuyler

Montgomery's thoughts on serving are expressed in a letter, "The Congress having done me the honor of electing me brigadier-general in their service, is an event which must put an end, for a while, perhaps forever, to the quiet scheme of life I had prescribed for myself; for, though entirely unexpected and undesired by me, the will of an oppressed people, compelled to choose between liberty and slavery, must be obeyed."

America Turns North

In June 1775, newly proclaimed commander-in-chief General George Washington appointed Montgomery as deputy commander under Philip Schuyler, who received orders to invade Quebec and bring Canada into the war on the American side. A force was assembled at Fort Ticonderoga, and Schuyler left to take command of the army, leaving Montgomery in Albany to make final arrangements for the invasion. Janet followed him as far north as Saratoga, where he promised he would do his duty and preserve his honor.

Albany, NY circa American Revolution

Plans, Logistics, and Delay

Schuyler spent the summer preparing for the invasion. By this time, Washington decided to send Colonel Benedict Arnold to lead another force in invading Quebec from Maine and joining Schuyler's army outside Quebec City. Schuyler entrusted most of the tedious military administration to Montgomery. Instead, he focused on politics, which was his strong suit. Schuyler pushed for more men and supplies and negotiated to keep the Iroquois neutral during the campaign.

Colonel Benedict Arnold

A Time for Action

Meanwhile, Montgomery, upon receiving intelligence that the British were preparing to station armed vessels on Lake Champlain, quickly headed north to confront the threat. Without seeking permission from Schuyler, he sailed up the lake with 1,200 men. Montgomery sent a dispatch to Schuyler explaining the situation. He recognized that the season for war was ending, and time was not on the side of the Americans.

Next Edition: Richard Montgomery’s War

Climate of Independence

Baby, It's Cold  (or Hot) Outside

This isn't about global warming (also known as climate change). This blog focuses on the weather, an often overlooked factor by some who study military history. However, serious warfare students understand that weather can often—and did often—play a crucial, if not decisive, role in military operations. 

There are many examples: Crusaders overwhelmed by intense heat in Palestine, German divisions frozen outside Moscow and Stalingrad, or Napoleon's invasion halted by an early winter. The list goes on. Perhaps the most decisive and specific instance of weather affecting warfare was the typhoon that sank the Mongol fleet preparing to invade medieval Japan—the Kamikaze, which gave its name to Japan's WWII suicide attacks.

The invading Mongol fleet destroyed by the
"Divine Wind" that saved Japan

Weather's Impact

Like any other war, especially one lasting eight years like the American War for Independence, the weather was bound to influence events. Since our First Patriots and the British didn't have a modern weather system, they had to rely on an almanac, early barometers, or local knowledge of past weather patterns. But mostly, they simply had to react to the weather as it happened. That could complicate things when unusual or unexpected weather shifts occurred. 

Year after year, across all four seasons, rebels and redcoats dealt with extremes of rain, snow, heat, and fog—as well as tides, ice formations, and winds. The weather was unpredictable, sometimes helping one side and hindering the other, and sometimes hindering both. Savvy commanders often sought to utilize the weather to their advantage or mitigate damage caused by its extremes. The weather sometimes shaped the Revolutionary War just as much as political, economic, or logistical factors.

The Heat of Battle

During the Battle of Long Island in 1776, the hot and oppressively humid weather likely played a role, which may have been one reason the long march around the Americans occurred at night. When the humidity turned into violent thunderstorms, both armies were slowed by mud and poor visibility, making the use of firelocks nearly impossible. The stormy weather and shifting tides prevented the Royal Navy from cutting off Washington's forces on Long Island. Washington used the weather to his advantage and slipped away during the stormy night. 

The early morning fog also blocked the British from seeing his retreat until it was too late. Weather, combined with decisive and heroic action, truly saved the Continental Army. The Battle of Monmouth was fought in unusually hot and humid conditions, too. This slowed the British column and gave Washington the chance to catch them as they marched across New Jersey. 

Washington's surprise attack at Germantown might have stopped Howe's plan to capture Philadelphia, but this time, the heavy morning fog confused the American attackers, and the British were warned and rallied. Later in the war, in the southern theater, hot and humid weather influenced Cornwallis's decision to abandon his shrinking army of baggage and heavy equipment, even heavy clothing, as he desperately tried to catch the clever Nathaniel Greene in the Carolinas. We know how that ended.

The Continental Army retrograde shielded by a summer storm

General Frost

Much more widely remembered are the cold campaigns: Nathaniel Greene's men dragging desperately needed cannon through the snowy mountains of New England to help win the siege of Boston. The winter at Valley Forge is iconic. 

But Washington's Christmas crossing, despite biting cold and gathering ice floes, is just as significant. The weather prevented two of his divisions from crossing, but his main column used it as cover to surprise the Hessian garrison at Trenton. The cold winter weather also caused the British to go into "winter quarters" earlier than the successes of the 1776 campaign and the nearing victory.

The weather helped with the element (sic) of surprise at Trenton

Less well known is the winter war fought in the Jerseys after Washington moved to Morristown for his winter quarters. Instead of a well-earned rest, it was the British who endured hardships as they struggled to gather supplies. The militias, and later the continentals, ambushed forage parties, attacked relief columns, and bushwhacked couriers. The British commander Lord Howe suffered casualties he could not easily replace - and gained no military advantage.

Cold Winter at Valley Force was
only one of many, and not the worst

Perhaps the campaign most affected by the cold is the least known: the 1775 invasion (liberation?) of Canada in twin attacks across America's harsh and rugged northern frontier. Colonel Benedict Arnold led several hundred men through the wilds of Maine, while General Richard Montgomery led a column through upper New York towards Montreal. The weather turned cold earlier than usual that year. Launching a northward invasion in the fall left the Americans suffering through rapidly cooling weather that plagued them all the way to Quebec. 

General Montgomery

The weather hampered both expeditions as each column battled through a mix of ice, snow, and rain. Over six inches of snow flooded Arnold's column in a single night in late October. The weather alone had severely weakened the invasion forces by the time they met near Quebec in early December. With more freezing weather approaching, Montgomery decided to attack Quebec rather than lay siege to the city. 

Hoping to use the weather to their advantage, the Americans launched an attack during a severe snowstorm. However, the blinding snow caused chaos during the assault, which ended in failure and resulted in the deaths of Montgomery and the wounding of Arnold. Arguably, two of America's best commanders were lost to General Frost.

A Yankee Doodle Memorial

This is Memorial Day weekend.  For most Americans, just another reason to have a party, go to ball games or watch the Indianapolis 500 or Preakness.

But for some, especially those who have a military connection, Memorial Day is truly something special because it is the one day that commemorates those who have fallen in the service of their country. Memorial Day was promulgated on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, the Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans group made up of northern vets -sort of the American Legion/VFW of its day. To honor Civil War fallen, flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate dead on 30 May although most southern sympathizers clung to separate holidays to commemorate their fallen. This changed after World War 1 when veterans of both regions who had served side by side began to be honored as well.

General John A. Logan

The trauma of the Civil War, followed by that of the Great War brought industrial age carnage to new heights and the need for some sense of spiritual closure for those fallen in massed attacks such as those at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, or the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne offensives.  To honor them, huge cemeteries and memorials span the nation and the battlefields of Europe and Asia honoring the hundreds of thousands of fallen. By "modern" standards casualties during the War for Independence were laughable and most soldiers died from sickness and starvation while in service to their nation.



But our First Patriots cherished and honored their fallen no less. And after the war, the need to honor those who gave all for an idea sanctified both the idea and those whose sacrifice enabled it.  Here are just a few examples:

General Montgomery Memorial
at St. Paul's

The first commemoration was ordered by the Continental Congress in 1776 to honor General Richard Montgomery, who fell during the American assault on Quebec, Canada. Our first fallen general's monument was designed and built under the supervision of Benjamin Franklin by one of France's best artists, King Louis XVI's personal sculptor, Jean Jacques Caffieri. Shipped to America upon completion, it rested in Edenton, NC.  Although Congress originally intended to place it in Philadelphia, it ultimately ended up in
New York City, where, in 1788, it was installed under the direction of France's Pierre Charles L'Enfant (who later designed Washington, DC)  beneath the portico of St. Paul's Chapel, which served as George Washington's church during his time in New York as the United States' first president in 1789, and where it remains to this day. Montgomery's body, which was originally interred on the site of his death in Quebec, was moved to St. Paul's in 1818.



Those who read my earlier blogs also know that I began the Yankee Doodle Spies idea, and particularly The Patriot Spy because as a boy I was inspired by the Maryland Monument in Brooklyn's Prospect Park (scroll down to read of it). But an important and little known monument was erected at the site of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Why? Because there the remains of perhaps as many as 15,000 First Patriots were interred there.  These were prisoners of war, the victims of the notorious British prison ships anchored as "hulks," that is de-masted sailing ships, docked in an area called Wallabout Bay.  These First Patriots later became known as the "Prison Ship Martyrs."

Unveiling Prison Ship Memorial at Ft Greene Park 1908

For years after the war, the bones of Martyrs would wash up on shore and finally  a monument was erected near the site of the hulks at the famed Brooklyn Navy Yard at a place called Vinegar Hill.  In the mid 19th century a stone crypt was erected at nearby Fort Greene Park and the bones were interred there. Fort Greene was one of several forts erected by Washington to defend Brooklyn from the British in 1776 (you can read about that in The Patriot Spy). In the late 19th century the martyrs' remains were once again moved to a new Fort Greene monument  - a tall (148 foot) obelisk that looked down on Brooklyn. When President Taft dedicated it in 1908, it was one of the finest structures in the nation and a fitting final resting place for the Prison Ship Martyrs.

General Wooster Monument

One of my recent blogs was on Connecticut's General David Wooster who was killed in the fighting that followed the British/Loyalist raid on the arsenal at Danbury, CT. On June 17, 1777, Congress voted that a
suitable monument should be erected in his memory, but measures were never inaugurated to execute the resolution. His grave was not identified until 1854 when the Connecticut legislature laid the cornerstone of a monument. Today, a monument 30 feet high marks his final resting place at Mount Moriah in Danbury. Coincidentally, Wooster fought at Quebec as Montgomery's second in command and took much unjust blame for the campaign and its result.





Many argue that Philadelphia, our nation's first capital, marks the spiritual, political, and geographic center of the American War for Independence and in 1954 an impressive monument was built to commemorate those who fell in the war. The Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier is  located in
Philadelphia's Washington Square. It honors the thousands of soldiers who died during the American Revolutionary War, but especially those who were buried in mass graves in that park.
The actual  plaque upon the tomb of the Unknown Soldier reads: "Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington's army who died to give you liberty."

Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier
Philadelphia

Bunker Hill Monument
Boston

If Philadelphia was the heart of the new nation, Boston was the heart and soul of the rebellion that forged the nation. The entire area is a virtual monument to the American Revolution but I'll single out one for this piece - the Bunker Hill Monument. The battle of Bunker Hill (which took place on Breed's Hill) is legendary, and for years General Washington (vainly) sought to replicate the scenario of entrenched Americans mowing down disciplined British troops who calmly marched into a hale of rebel lead. The first monument on the site was an 18-foot wooden pillar with a gilt urn erected in 1794 by King Solomon's Lodge of Masons to honor fallen patriot and mason, Dr. Joseph Warren. In 1823, a group of prominent citizens formed the Bunker Hill Monument Association to construct a more permanent and significant monument to commemorate the famous battle. The existing monument was finally completed in 1842 and dedicated on June 17, 1843, in a major national ceremony. The exhibit lodge was built in the late nineteenth century to house a statue of Dr. Warren.

So this weekend and throughout the year, we should remember all Americans who died in their nation's service. But we should especially recollect those who died to establish the nation and the idea of a free and independent people. Wherever and however you decide to celebrate the occasion, take a moment to think of those who had no Arlington - the fallen at Saratoga, Brandywine, Brooklyn, Harlem, Paoli, Bennington, Germantown, Charleston, King's Mountain, Guilford Court House, Valley Forge, Yorktown, and hundreds of battlefields fields so small only the local patriots know of them. Give them a roaring "Huzzah" for duty well done.

Arlington