A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Montagu, John William (b)
MONTAGU. (Commander, 1841. f-p., 16; h-p., 12.)
John William Montagu is son of the late Admiral Robt. Montagu;[1] and a descendant of Admiral Sir Henry Montagu, M.P., who was created Earl of Sandwich as a reward for his loyalty in inducing the fleet to declare in favour of King Charles II. Commander Montagu’s grandfather, John, fourth Earl of Sandwich, was First Lord of the Admiralty in 1763, and again from 1771 to 1782.
This officer entered the Navy, 4 Dec. 1819, as Midshipman, on board the Phaeton 46, Capt. Wm. Augustus Montagu. After serving for two years and a half in that frigate on the coast of North America, he was next, from July, 1822, until Dec. 1825, employed in the Espiègle sloop, and colonial brig Wizard, in surveying the west coast of Africa, in cruizing in suppression of the slave-trade, and in civilizing the natives of Madagascar. Between 1 Jan. 1826, in the course of which year he passed his examination, and 3 Aug. 1827, Mr. Montagu appears to have been attached, at Portsmouth and on the coast of Ireland, to the Victory 104, William and Mary yacht. Tiger cutter, and Royal Charlotte yacht; the latter under the command of the present Sir Chas. Malcolm, by whom we find him officially described as a young officer of high promise, “zealous, manly, and steady in the performance of his duty.” He obtained a Lieutenant’s commission on 18 Sept. in the year last mentioned; and was subsequently appointed – 25 Aug. 1828, to the Britomart 10, Capts. Russell Henry Manners and Edw. John Johnson, employed on the coast of Portugal – 26 Oct. 1830, to the Revenge 78, Capts. Jas. Hillyar and Donald Hugh Mackay, in which ship he continued for about three years on the Home station – 16 Aug. 1834, as Second-Lieutenant (a rank he had for some time held in the Revenge), to the Malabar 74, Capt. Sir Wm. Augustus Montagu, with whom he served for two years, chiefly in the Mediterranean and off Lisbon – 20 Aug. 1839, for 12 months, to the Coast Guard in Norfolk and Kent – and 19 Aug. 1841, as Senior, to the Isis 44, Capt. Sir John Marshall, fitting at Chatham. He attained his present rank 23 Nov. 1841; and has since been on half-pay.
Commander Montagu is married and has issue. Agent – Frederick Dufaur.
- ↑ Admiral Robt. Montagu was confirmed a Post-Captain in the Seahorse of 20 guns, 3 March, 1781. He commanded the Exeter 64 in the action between Sir Edw. Hughes and M. de Suffrein, off Negapatnam, 6 July, 1782; and was afterwards appointed to the Flora 38, Aquilon 32, Sampson 64, and Hector and Cumberland 74’s. In consideration of his having, when in the Sampson in the autumn of 1794, convoyed 19 of the Hon.Co.’s ships home from the East Indies, in company with the Lion 64 (on board of which was Lord Macartney returning from his embassy to China), Capt. Montagu was presented, by the Court of Directors, with the sum of 350 guineas. In the Hector he served in Hotham’s partial action oi 13 July, 1795. Being advanced to the rank Rear-Admiral 14 Feb. 1799, he was subsequently, in 1801-2, employed in the chief command on the Jamaica station, vacant by the death of Lord Hugh Seymour; and, after the renewal of hostilities, in command of a part of the North Sea fleet under Lord Keith. He became a Vice-Admiral 9 Nov 1805; and a full Admiral 31 July, 1810.