Wednesday, March 21, 2018
JAMES MONTGOMERY, HERO
Col. James Montgomery of Kansas was my kind of teacher, preacher, soldier and Civil War commander. He and Harriet Tubman were formidable when fighting together in South Carolina on armed river boats where they were freeing 800 slaves and burning down plantations! He was outstanding covering Union Gen. Seymour hasty retreat from defeat brought about by his disobedience to orders and ambush at the battle of Olustee, Florida in February 1864. Col. James Montgomery's black 35th USCT also helped the 54th Massachusetts to haul a disabled troop train of white wounded soldiers back to Jacksonville 40 miles, after counter-marching 10 miles. These strong men used ropes to pull the train all except for about 10 miles, alone, when horses and mules helped them pull!http://battleofolustee.org/montgomery.html