He was born in Northumberland [?] County, Pennsylvania (6, 8). He was 28 years old when he was enlisted (6, 8 [26 in 1860]).
In 1860, he was living in Milton Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (8). He was living with his wife Margaret, with Harry and Ralph (presumably their children), and with two other people (8). He was a grocer, and owned $175 in personal property (8).
He was a storeboy [?] when he was enlisted (6).
He was 5 feet 9-1/2 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair (6).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 6 November 1861 (1, 6). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Lieutenant Parsons (6). He was mustered into service as a private (1). He served in company F (1).
He was promoted to corporal on 19 January 1862 (5, 6).
He was reduced to the ranks on 13 May 1862 (5).
He deserted on 11 June 1862, from Alexandria, Virginia (4, 6). He returned to duty on 22 August 1862 (4, 6). (According to Bates (1), he deserted on 11 January 1862, and returned on 22 May 1862 (1). I suspect his compiler misread 'Jun' as 'Jan' (an easy mistake!).)
On 16 May 1863, General Tyler sent him (with Charles Thomson) to Appnia Creek to guard his private Baggage (2). He had not returned to the regiment on 8 September 1863, and was reported as "loafing around town" (2).
He deserted again on 2 September 1863 from Alexandria, Virginia (1, 4, 6).
According to the regimental records, he was at Camp Convalescent, Alexandria, Virginia, on 8 September 1863, when Lieutenant Colonel Sinex asked for his return (2).
He was dropped as a deserter on 12 March 1864 (3).
In 1890, his widow, Mrs Margaret Montgomery, was living in the Home for the Friendless, Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania (7). She "knows nothing of the fate of her husband, but thinks him dead. Her papers relating to his enlistment etc. were burned at Milton Pa in the great fire of 1880." (7)
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 8 September 1863
3 consolidated morning report, 12 March 1864 (Montgomery)
4 company F, register of deserters, #16, and #26 (Ralph B Montgomery)
5 company F, list of non-commissioned officers (Ralph B Montgomery)
6 company F, descriptive roll, #76 (Ralph B Montgomery)
7 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Lycoming County, Williamsport, supervisor's district 6, enumeration district Home for the Friendless, page 1 (Mrs Montgomery widow of Ralph Boyle Montgomery)
8 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Northumberland County, Milton Borough, microfilm series M653, film 1149, page 378 = 197 handwritten (R B Montgomery)
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry's index to the pension index by name (searched March 2007)]
| line | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Dwelling number | 1385 | |||||
| Family number | 1381 | |||||
| Name | R. B. Montgomery | Margaret " | Harry " | Ralph " | Mary Moser | William Imbody |
| Age | 26 | 23 | 1 | 1/24 [sic] | 15 | 12 |
| Sex | M | F | M | M | F | M |
| Color | ||||||
| Occupation | Grocer | |||||
| Value of real estate owned | ||||||
| Value of personal estate | 175 | |||||
| Place of birth | do [sc. Pennsylvania] | do | do | do | do | do |
| Married within year | ||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | |||||
| Cannot read & write | ||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |