General Richard Montgomery - Philadelphia, PA - U.S. Revolutionary War Memorials on Waymarking.com

The statue was sculpted in 1946 and installed in 1947 and sculpted by Wallace J. Kelly (1894 - 1976). A parade of Revolutionary War veterans statues line the sides of a huge courtyard found to the rear of the west side of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are three to the right and the same amount to the left. If your back is to the Museum, this statue is the first statue on the left. Simply walk down the the stairs and at the bottom look to the left. The Fairmount Water Works will also be to the left. You have to check that out as well.

All the statues are made of bronze and look similar, both in composition, form, size and subject matter. This statue dimensions are approximately: Sculpture: approx. 114 x 36 x 30 in.; Base: approx. 96 x 80 x 87.5 in. and is of polished granite base with of course the bronze sculpture on top. The inscription on the front reads:

RICHARD MONTGOMERY 1738-1775
NATIVE OF COUNTY DUBLIN IRELAND
GENERAL OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY
FIRM BELIEVER IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM
HE LOST HIS LIFE IN THE
AMERICAN ASSAULT ON QUEBEC
IN MID WINTER/OF 1775

SIRIS describes the statue as a standing portrait of Richard Montgomery carrying his coat and three-cornered hat in his proper right hand. He is dressed in his Revolutionary War uniform consisting of a long double-breasted jacket with fringed epaulets, a ruffle at the neck, slim pants, and large boots. A sword hangs on his proper left side and he rests his proper left hand on the handle. He has short hair and stares down toward the ground.

Richard Montgomery (1736-1775) was born in Ireland and distinguished himself in the British army rising to the rank of captain. He then moved to England, but became dissatisfied with the army after ten years of service without a promotion. He then moved to America and became politically active. In 1775, he became a brigadier general in the American army and distinguished himself during the Revolutionary War by capturing Montreal. He was rewarded with a promotion to the rank of major general. His plans to go on and attack Quebec were cut short when he was killed by a cannon shot. British troops then defeated his army, but the British commander buried Montgomery with military honors in Quebec. For forty-two years he remained buried in Quebec, until the New York legislature had him returned and buried in a churchyard in New York City.

This piece was erected through the bequest of General William F. Reilly. The Reilly Trust was initially administered by First People's Bank, but as of the 1993 SOS! survey, Core States Bank was handling the Reilly Trust. This sculpture is one of several which comprises the William M. Reilly Memorial on the west side of the museum. The memorial honors Revolutionary War heroes. The SOS! survey cover sheet notes that current conservation of the piece is the responsibility of the Reilly Trust.

This area is one of the premier tourist attractions for Philadelphia and referenced several times in their official tourist site. Here is what they have to say:

In 1890 General William M. Reilly of the Pennsylvania National Guard bequeathed funds for a memorial to Revolutionary War heroes. Though it took decades to raise additional money, six sculptures were eventually installed northwest of the Art Museum.

Immortalized in bronze, the Marquis de Lafayette gestures flamboyantly as his cape billows around him. Another European volunteer, Major General Friedrich von Steuben, points steadfastly ahead. General Richard Montgomery, who died in the assault on Quebec, stands pensively with hat in hand. Maritime hero John Paul Jones is shown with his telescope, while General Casimir Pulaski poses fiercely with sword at the ready. Unusual for this group, the sculpture of General Nathanael Greene emphasizes nonmilitary aspects of the man’s character.

Marquis de Lafayette (c. 1947) by Raoul Josset Major
General Friedrich von Steuben (c. 1947) by Warren Wheelock
General Richard Montgomery (c. 1946) by J. Wallace Kelly
John Paul Jones (c. 1957) by Walker Hancock
General Casimir Pulaski (c. 1947) by Sidney Waugh
General Nathanael Greene (c. 1960) by Lewis Iselin Jr.
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