* Petty officers are divided into two classes: petty officers of the line and petty officers. The petty officers of the line, in order of rank, are as follows: Boatswain’s Mates, Gunner’s Mates, Signal Quartermaster, Coxswain to Commander in Chief, Captains of Forecastle, Quartermasters, Quarter Gunners, Coxswains, Captains of Main-top, Captains of Fore-top, Captains of Mizzen-top, Captains of Afterguard.
DOB/DOD: 1838 # (Liverpool, England) – January 22, 1899 (Liverpool, England); 61 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
ENLISTMENT: August 29, 1863, as William Montgomery into the 8th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry in Norwich, Connecticut. He then transferred to the Navy on May 4, 1864.
DISCHARGE: He was discharged from the Navy on January 25, 1866, as Robert William Montgomery.
# The exact Date of Birth is unknown.
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Navy
ASSIGNED: U.S.S. Agawam
GENERAL ORDERS: War Department, General Orders No. 45 (December 31, 1864)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 25 or 26
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain of the Afterguard Robert William Montgomery, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Agawam, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, North Carolina, 23 December 1864. The powder boat, towed in by the Wilderness to prevent detection by the enemy, cast off and slowly steamed to within 300 yards of the beach. After fuses and fires had been lit and a second anchor with short scope let go to assure the boat’s tailing inshore, the crew again boarded the Wilderness and proceeded a distance of 12 miles from shore. Less than two hours later, the explosion took place, and the following day, fires were observed still burning at the fort.
Presentation Date and Details: May 12, 1865, off of New Bern, North Carolina, on board the U.S.S. Agawam
WEBMASTER NOTE: One of five recipients of the Medal of Honor from Connecticut who were aboard the U.S.S. Agawam. The others were William Garvin, John Neil, James Roberts, and James Sullivan.
Buried in Ford Cemetery, also known as the Liverpool Catholic Cemetery, Ford; Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England; Public Lot, Section B, Grave 2414 (unmarked). Photo from FindAGrave.com.
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