Montgomery Monument

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Richard Montgomery

Artist

Jean-Jacques Caffieri

Architect

Pierre Charles L'Enfant

Commissioner

Benjamin Franklin

Description

Material: Marble

Leading the charge of the Battle of Quebec, Major General Richard Montgomery died under British fire in 1775.

Commissioned, Jan 25, 1776

In order to drum up public support for the revolutionary war effort, Benjamin Franklin convinced the Continental Congress to commission the monument, to build support for separation from Britain. Benjamin Franklin championed the monument from its design to its installation, in spite of the intervening war and paltry coffers.

On January 25 1776, Benjamin Franklin was given 300 pounds sterling to oversee its creation commissioning the French royal sculptor, Jean-Jacques Caffieri. After Caffieri completed the sculpture in 1777, Franklin had the chutzpa to show it off in Paris while the war still raged.

It was shipped to America in 9 lead sealed cases.

Installed, 1787

The monument was lost first at Le Havre and then in Edenton, North Carolina and did not arrive for about a decade.

The Common council recommended that the monument be installed in St Paul’s chapel. Pierre L’Enfant directed the installation. Montgomery is buried beneath the monument.

This was the first piece of commissioned public artwork by the new country.

Renovation, 2010

Designations

National Memorial

Factoids

Originally intended for Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, but ended up in St. Paul's.

Events

It Happened Here : St Pauls Chapel - Places Over Time

Related People & Organizations

Janet Livingston Montgomery

St. Paul's Chapel and Churchyard (Trinity)

Timeline

1776

2010

Images

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Images

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When the monument arrived, it proved too large for the front of St Paul's. L'Enfant was commissioned to redesign the facade.

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Detail of the window

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Detail of the memorial from the interior of the Church

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Drawings and documents

1 Document,Show less

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2010 - Renovation

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2010 - Renovation - Images

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Monument below the east window

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The chapel contains several monuments and memorials that attest to its elevated status in early New York

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The first official monument commissioned by the Continental Congress in 1776

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Marble sculpture detail

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"This monument is erected by the order of Congress"

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The State of New York cause the remains of Maj. Gen. Richard Montgomery to be conveyed from Quebec and deposited beneath the Monument the 8 day of July 1818

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ASSOCIATED SITES

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Events and Stories

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Montgomery remains moved from Canada to New York

Québec, Canada, 1 Côte de la Citadelle, G1R 3R2

What Happened Here

IN THIS PHOTO

15 Results,Show less

Janet Livingston Montgomery

Pictured: null

Stephen Van Rensselaer III

Pictured: null

Benjamin Franklin

Committee of Five, American Philosophical Society, Second Continental Congress

Pictured: null

Jean-Jacques Caffieri

Pictured: null

Pierre Charles L'Enfant

Pictured: null

Robert Livingston

Second Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, Committee of Five

Pictured: null

Guy Carleton

Pictured: null

Richard Montgomery

Continental Army

Pictured: null

Philip John Schuyler

Pictured: null

Battle of Quebec

Pictured: null

St. Paul's Chapel and Churchyard (Trinity)

Pictured: null

1st Presidential Inauguration

Pictured: null

Independence Hall, Philadelphia

Pictured: null

Federal Hall National Memorial

Pictured: null

Montgomery Monument

Pictured: null

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