by John Marshall

“ After a short interval Captain Montagu was directed to convoy home a large fleet of West Indiamen; and on his arrival at Spithead, was placed under the orders of Commodore Pasley, with whom, and Rear-Admiral M‘Bride, he cruised in the channel till his promotion to a flag, which took place April 12, 1794; when he joined the grand fleet, at that period commanded by Earl Howe. Early in the following month he was detached with a squadron to escort the outward bound East India fleet, and other convoys, amounting in the whole to about four hundred sail, as far to the southward as Cape Finisterre. ”

“ During the Spanish armament, in 1790 [4] , Captain Montagu obtained the command of the Hector, 74; and at the commencement of the war with France, in 1793, he accompanied Rear-Admiral Gardner to Barbadoes, where he arrived on the 27th April.
In the ensuing summer, the Rear-Admiral, in conjunction with Major-General Bruce, being encouraged by the disputes which existed between the royalists and republicans at Martinique, and invited by the former to make a descent on that island, proceeded thither, and landed a body of 3000 British troops, under cover of the ships of war. ”

“ From thence he went on a cruise off Bermuda; and, on the 30th Sept., captured l’Esperance, a French frigate of the same tonnage as his former prize, with a valuable cargo, from St. Domingo bound to Bourdeaux, mounting 32 guns, and having on board near 200 men, including about 15 or 20 officers of the army, and privates, passengers. This ship appears to have made a most obstinate defence, maintaining a close action of two hours, in which, and in a running fight of equal duration, she had 20 of her crew killed, and 24 wounded. The Pearl’s loss was only 6 slain and 10 wounded. ”

“ Montagu was made a Lieutenant, and appointed to the Marlborough, of 74 guns, from which ship he removed into the Captain, another third-rate, bearing the flag of his father, then a Rear-Admiral, with whom he went to America, where he obtained the rank of Commander in the Kingfisher sloop of war ”

“ The Pearl mounted the same number of guns as her opponent, but was only 700 tons burthen, and had a very small proportion of seamen among her crew, which consisted of 220 officers, men, and boys. Her loss on this occasion was 12 killed and 19 wounded.
Towards the latter end of the same year, Captain Montagu sailed with Sir George B. Rodney to the relief of Gibraltar, and was consequently present at the capture of the Caracca convoy, with which he returned to England, in company with the Africa, 64 [2] . ”

“ The expedition, however, having failed of effect, in consequence of the republican party proving much stronger than was represented, the troops were re-embarked, together with as many of the royalists as could be taken on board the ships; the remainder were unavoidably left to perish by the hands of their implacable enemy. The rage and unrelenting fury of civil war were now clearly perceived by the flames that covered the island night and day. ”

“ Phil. Stephens." “Rear-Admiral Montagu, Plymouth.”
“Admiralty, June 15, 1794. “Sir.– I received your letter this morning, and learnt, with great regret, that your state of health was such as to make it necessary, for a short time, to come on shore. I wish much it had been possible for the Hector to have brought you to Spithead; but as the squadron must proceed again immediately to sea, and in as much force as possible, it will not be at present practicable; but probably a little time hence it may be so arranged, that the Hector may come up to Spithead. The London is not yet commissioned ”