Comments:

Montrose was a member of Company B of the 3rd United States Artillery Regiment.  The 3rd Artillery was founded back in 1821 and by 1850 had seen extensive service in the campaigns against the Native Americans and during the Mexican War.  During the 1850's most of the regiment was sent to the Pacific Northwest to participate in several actions against the Native Americans there.  In early 1861 the regiment was consolidated in San Francisco and most its companies were sent back to the East Coast where the Civil War was looming.  Company B remained to guard the San Francisco Bay, however, and was the first unit to garrison Camp Reynolds on Angel Island in 1863.   In the 20th century the old artillery regiments were broken up and redesignated. Most recently the Co. B, 3rd. Artillery was known as the 4th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery (4-3 ADA) and was inactivated in September of 2005 following a tour of duty in Iraq.

Montrose's is one of the earlier graves from Angel Island, and it is interesting to note the high level of skill that went into military headstones from the Civil War era.  The sunken "federal shield" and raised lettering are far more difficult and time-consuming to execute than the sunk inscription found on the later markers from the post cemetery.   The VA Database (as of April 2004) records that Montrose was originally interred in grave number 10 on Angel Island.