Ciimmings, A biographical sketch of Col. George Montagu. 313 



mind. Patriotism and loyalty that roused him to seek martial 

 glory led him to volunteer his service to his country's cause at 

 the early age of i6, and after displaying undaunted courage in 

 Holland, in Martinique, in the expulsion of the French from 

 Portugal, and lastly at the age of 26 at the memorable battle 

 of Albuera in Spain, fought on the 18 th. May in the year 181 1, 

 he finished his mortal career, pierced through the heart by a 

 musket ball, whilst gallantly leading his men to a charge. He 

 nobly fell leaving the laurels so gloriously acquired to be en- 

 twined round the hearts of his afflicted parents who in commemo- 

 ration of their departed son, erect this monument." 



Montagu lived for sometime at Easton Grey, near Malmes- 

 bury, where the last of his children was born. After the death 

 of Mr. Hedges he went to live at Aldcrton House where 

 Mrs. Montagu's mother — Lady Jane Courtenay joined them. 

 On receiving an addition to his income on the death of his 

 brother, James, who died unmarried, he was able to resign his 

 commission of Colonel in the Wilts Militia and went to live at 

 Knowle, Kingsbridge, South Devon, where most of his best 

 work was carried on, James Montagu's will was a disappointing 

 affair as the Colonel expected that the family estates would have 

 been left to him, but he only had "a rent charge of ^ 800 a year 

 subject to which the estates were left to his eldest son, George, 

 for life. The sum of '^ 25,000 had been borrowed by the testator on 

 bond from the late Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough to enable him 

 to complete the purchase of Pewsham Forest adjoining the Lackham 

 estates and a provision was made in the will for the gradual 

 liquidation of the debt. It was out of this document that arose 

 the lawsuit between the Colonel and his eldest son. Father and 

 son were arraigned against each other and from what may be 

 gathered it seems that the son was a very extravagant youth. 

 The prolonged litigation coupled with the young man's extrav- 

 agance ultimately deprived the family of their estates. The affair 

 was thrown into chancery and the Colonel "had the mortification 

 of seeing" all the fine old timber on the estates which had been 

 estimated at '£ 70,000 cut down and "the valuable libraries and 

 books and the collections of relics and curiosities sold and dis- 

 bursed under the decree of the Court." It is not diificult to 

 imagine how dreadfully outraged the Colonel felt at these cala- 

 mitous events. The whole history is certainly a tragedy, a com- 



Zool. Annalen V. 21 



— 7 — 



