A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Montgomerie, Alexander
MONTGOMERIE. (Captain, 1820. f-p., 15; h-p., 30.)
Alexander Montgomerie is second son of the late Alex. Montgomerie, Esq., of Annick Lodge, co. Ayr (brother of Hugh, twelfth Earl of Eglinton, and grand-uncle of the present Peer), by Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Taylor; and brother-in-law of the Right Hon. David Boyle, Lord Justice-Clerk. His brother, Hugh, married a daughter of Lieut.-General Rumley, E.I.Co.’s service; and his grand-uncle, James, died a Lieut.-General in the Army 13 April, 1829. His eldest brother, the present Wm. Eglinton Montgomerie, Esq., of Annick Lodge, is a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant, and Lieut.-Colonel Commandant of the Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry.
This officer entered the Navy, 27 June, 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hazard sloop, Capt. B. J. Neve, lying at Portsmouth; and from the following Aug. until Aug. 1808, was employed as Midshipman and Master’s Mate in the Argo 44, and Tigre 74, both commanded by Capt. Benj. Hallowell. In the Argo, after visiting the coast of Africa, he assisted at the reduction of Ste. Lucie and Tobago; and when in the Tigre, besides accompanying Lord Nelson to the West Indies in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain, he participated in the operations of 1807 in Egypt, was present at the capture of Alexandria, and saw much boat service on Lake Mareotis. In Sept. 1809, on passing his examination, he joined the Orpheus 36; and from that ship he was soon transferred to the Sceptre 74, Capt. Sam. Jas. Ballard, for a passage to the West Indies; where, on 18 of the ensuing Dec, we find him contributing, in the boats of a squadron under the personal command of Capt. Hugh Cameron, who was killed, to the destruction, in L’Ance la Barque, Guadeloupe, of the 40-gun frigates Loire and Seine, laden with stores, and protected by numerous strong batteries. As a reward for his conduct on the occasion, which was officially reported, he was nominated, the next day, Acting- Lieutenant of the Freija frigate, Capt. John Hayes – an appointment the Admiralty confirmed by a commission dated 4 May, 1810. Previously to that event Mr. Montgomerie, during the operations which led to the reduction of Guadeloupe, had been employed in the boats of his own ship and the Sceptre in destroying the various batteries erected on the island. After three months’ command of the Magnanime at Sheerness, he was appointed, 28 Jan. 1811, to the Aquilon 32, Capts. Wm. Bowles and Jas. Boxer, under whom he served for upwards of three years and a half on the North Sea, Baltic, and South American stations. When in the Baltic in 1812, and engaged with the boats under his orders in an attempt to bring some vessels off from the island of Rugen, he greatly distinguished himself by his conduct in capturing a temporary fort occupied by a superior number of troops, whom, on their being reinforced and endeavouring to recover their loss, he several times repulsed. On his return from the Rio de la Plata in Sept. 1814, Mr. Montgomerie, who had been latterly First-Lieutenant of the Aquilon, found that he had been promoted to the rank of Commander on 7 of the preceding June, and appointed to the Racoon sloop, which vessel, however, being at the time on the coast of Brazil, he never joined. He afterwards, 21 March, 1818, assumed command of the Confiance 18, fitting for the West Indies, where he became, 13 July, 1820, Acting-Captain of the Sapphire 26. He was confirmed 3 Oct. following; and in Sept. 1821 he returned to England and was paid off. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846. Agent – John P. Muspratt.