Early Life and The Western Mediterranean
Montresor was born on Broad Street or St. James's, Westminster, 19 November 1704, the son of James Gabriel le Trésor and Nanon de Hauteville. His father, who belonged to a Huguenot refugee family, joined the British service and was naturalized, taking the name of Montresor. He would become Lieutenant Governor of Fort William where he died 22 January 1723/4.
Joining the Royal Artillery, Montresor is said to have been present at the 1727 siege of Gibraltar, but more credible accounts place him in Minorca, as a matross. He was later a bombardier at Gibraltar, and was there commissioned as an engineer in 1731. He continued to serve at Gibraltar, with a brief interlude in Minorca, until in 1747 he was named chief engineer of Gibraltar. He had also held a commission in the 14th Regiment of Foot.
Read more about this topic: James Gabriel Montresor
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