Thomas Hamilton (writer) facts for kids
Thomas Hamilton (born 1789, died 1842) was a Scottish soldier and a writer. He was known for his adventures and for writing books about his experiences. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Contents
A Young Life in Scotland and England
Thomas Hamilton was born in Pisa, Italy, in 1789. His father, William Hamilton, was a professor in Glasgow, Scotland. Sadly, Thomas's father passed away when Thomas was just a baby. Thomas also had an older brother, William, who became a famous thinker.
Thomas went to school in Glasgow first. In 1801, he moved to England for more schooling. He studied with different teachers in places like Chiswick and Hounslow. Later, in 1803, he returned to Scotland to prepare for university.
University Days
Thomas started at Glasgow University in November 1803. He studied there for three years. He was a smart student, even if he wasn't always super hardworking! One of his close friends at university was Michael Scott, who later became a well-known author.
Joining the Army
Thomas always wanted to be a soldier. In 1810, he joined the 29th regiment as an officer. He fought in the Peninsular War, a big conflict in Spain and Portugal. During one battle, the Battle of Albuera, he was seriously wounded in his leg by a musket bullet.
After his time in the Peninsula, his regiment traveled to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in North America. Later, they went to France as part of the army that stayed there after the wars.
Life as a Writer
Around 1818, Thomas Hamilton left the army as a captain. He moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. He became an important writer for Blackwood's Magazine, a popular magazine at the time. Other writers at the magazine thought highly of him.
In 1820, Thomas married Annette Montgomery Campbell. For several summers, they lived near the famous writer Sir Walter Scott. Scott found them to be very friendly neighbors. In 1829, Thomas and Annette traveled to Italy. Sadly, Annette passed away in Florence that same year.
After returning home, Thomas visited America. He gathered ideas for a new book about the country. He married again, this time to the widow of Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar. They settled in a house called Elleray, which used to belong to another writer, John Wilson. There, Thomas spent a lot of time with the famous poet William Wordsworth. Thomas was one of the first Scotsmen to truly appreciate Wordsworth's poetry.
Final Years
Thomas Hamilton traveled to Europe with his second wife. While in Florence, Italy, he became very ill. He passed away in Pisa, Italy, on December 7, 1842, after another illness. He was buried in Florence next to his first wife.
His Books
Thomas Hamilton wrote several books that were popular in his time.
Cyril Thornton
His novel Cyril Thornton came out in 1827. This book was partly about his own life. It shared his early memories of university life in Scotland and his experiences as a soldier. The book was very successful and was reprinted three times while he was alive. It became one of Blackwood's Magazine's "Standard Novels."
Other Works
In 1829, Thomas Hamilton published Annals of the Peninsular Campaign. This book was about the Peninsular War, where he had fought.
His book Men and Manners in America was published in 1833. This book shared his observations and thoughts from his trip to America.
Some experts believe Thomas Hamilton was part of a "Glasgow School" of Scottish novelists. This group included other writers like John Galt and Michael Scott, his old college friend.
Images for kids
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Hamilton's house, Elleray painted by Alexander Nasmyth (1808)
