William Reading Montgomery, General

1801 - 1871  (69 years)

• Name	William Reading Montgomery
  Suffix	General
  Birth	10 Jul 1801
  Gender	Male
  Death	31 May 1871
  Person ID	I10546	Clan Montgomery Society | Lainshaw
  Last Modified	2 Jul 2026

  
  

  Father	James Montgomery,   b. 22 Nov 1755, Eglinton, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA d. 20 Jun 1837, Eglinton, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA (Age 81 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Eleanor Reading,   b. Abt 1756
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F4094	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Hannah Bullock Wood
  Children	1. William Wood II Montgomery  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. William Wood Montgomery  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   3. Henry Montgomery  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F3396	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Jul 2026

  
  

• Notes

  !Graduated from West Point in 1825; commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant 1 July 1825; Captain of the 8th Infantry 7 July 1838; took part in the Mexican war; brevetted Major 9 May 1846; "for gallant conduct in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de Palma"; in the latter he was wounded and brevetted Lt. Col. on 8 September 1847; "for gallent and meritorious conduct in the battle of molino del Rey,"; in which he was wounded. He was commissioned Major on December 7, 1852, and remained in the army until 1855. At the outbreak of the rebellion he volunteered and was commissioned Colonel of the First Regiment of the New Jersey Infantry, May 21, 1861. He led that Regiment at the first battle of Bull Run, 21 July, 1861. He was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers on August 17, 1861, and shortly after was appointed Military Governor of Alexandria.