John Hamilton (British Army officer) facts for kids
John Hamilton (born in 1724 in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia – died in 1802 in Waterford, Ireland) was a British army officer. He served in the 40th Regiment of Foot. John Hamilton fought in two important wars: King George's War and Father Le Loutre's War.
During his time as an officer, he was captured by Mi'kmaq fighters. This was a big deal because his father and father-in-law were members of the Nova Scotia Council. This council was a group of important people who helped govern Nova Scotia. John Hamilton was also an artist. He even tried to help make peace between the Mi'kmaq and the British.
Military Service and Capture
John Hamilton was involved in the Siege of Annapolis Royal (1745). This happened during King George's War. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and take control of it. Hamilton's property was damaged while he was helping to defend the town. He later asked for money to cover these losses.
In 1750, during Father Le Loutre's War, John Hamilton was captured. This happened at the Siege of Grand Pré in Nova Scotia. He was exploring the area around the fort with 18 other soldiers. Among them was the son of another British officer, John Handfield. Mi'kmaq fighters took them all prisoner.
Hamilton was held in Quebec for two years. Eventually, he was able to arrange his own freedom. He also helped free 60 other prisoners. His father, Otho Hamilton, and his father-in-law, William Shirriff, helped him. Both were important members of the Nova Scotia Council. A French priest named Jean-Louis Le Loutre paid a ransom to the Mi'kmaq for Hamilton's release. Hamilton was also part of a prisoner exchange. He was traded for the daughter of a Mi'kmaq chief who had been held by a British officer named John Gorham.
After he was freed, John Hamilton returned and married his second wife. She was Mary Handfield, the daughter of his former commander, John Handfield. In 1767, Hamilton and his regiment moved to Ireland.
Family Life
John Hamilton's second wife, Mary Handfield, passed away in 1773. In 1777, Captain John Hamilton married his third wife, Ann Moore, in Waterford, Ireland. They had a son named John in 1779. This son later married Hannah Taylor, also in Waterford.
John Hamilton's first wife was Martha Shirreff Hamilton. They married in 1741. Martha was the daughter of William Shirriff, who was also on the Nova Scotia Council. She died in 1751.
Efforts for Peace
In 1754 and 1755, John Hamilton supported efforts to make peace. He worked with Le Loutre and Chief Paul Laurent. They tried to negotiate a peace agreement with the British.
An Artist's View
John Hamilton was also a talented artist. He drew important pictures of four forts during the war. These drawings help us see what these places looked like back then.
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Fort Edward by Capt. Hamilton (1753)
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Fort Anne, Annapolis Royal by Hamilton (c. 1753)
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Fort Lawrence by John Hamilton (1755)
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Fort Beauséjour and Le Loutre's Cathedral (1755)
See also
