Sir
Charles Montague was the son of Brigadier General Edward Montague,
Colonel of the Eleventh Foot, and Governor of Hull. He had an elder
brother, Edward, killed at the battle of Fontenoy, being then Lieutenant
Colonel of the Thirty-first Foot.
He began his military career on 6th July 1739 when he obtained a
commission as Ensign in the regiment which subsequently became the
11th of Foot (“the Bloody Eleventh”). King George I
had strongly opposed the practice whereby commissions could be bought
and sold, but opposition from officers and ministers alike obliged
him to authorise an official scale. For example, an Ensignancy cost
£200, a full Colonelcy £6000. Young Charles Montague
must have enjoyed ample financial resources because, within six
years of entering the army, he was Lieutenant Colonel commanding
his regiment.
Wounded at the Battle of Fontenoy (30th April 1745), he was fortunate
to escape with his life. He continued in regimental employment until
1756 when he acquired the Colonelcy of the 61st of Foot. Promoted
to Major General and transferring to The Queen’s in 1760,
he held this Colonelcy for the remainder of his life. His final
promotion to Lieutenant General came on 19th January 1761, and he
died on 1st August 1777. |