Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish-born American army officer. First serving in the British Army, he later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. On 31 December 1775, Montgomery was killed while leading an unsuccessful invasion of Quebec.
Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland to an Ulster-Scots family. In 1754, he enrolled at Trinity College Dublin, and two years later joined the British army and served in the French and Indian War. He steadily rose through the ranks, serving in North America and the West Indies. After the war he was stationed at Fort Detroit during Pontiac's War, following which he returned to Britain for health reasons. In 1773, Montgomery returned to the Thirteen Colonies, married Janet Livingston, and began farming.
