John Hamilton (Jacobite)

John Hamilton (1651 or 1552 – 1691), was an Irish army officer of Scottish and Irish origin, who fought in the Williamite war in Ireland on the side of the deposed James II. He died from wounds received at the Battle of Aughrim.

Family tree
John Hamilton with wife, parents, and other selected relatives.[lower-alpha 1] Earls 3 to 5 are omitted. Earl 3 descends from Earl 2. Earls 4 & 5 descend from Claud Hamilton of Strabane.
James
1st Earl
1575–1618		Marion
Boyd
d. 1632
Recusant
James
2nd Earl
d. 1670		Claud
2nd Baron
Strabane
d. 1638		George
1st Baronet
Donalong
c. 1608 – 1679		Mary
Butler
d. 1680
James
c. 1630 – 1673
Courtier
d.v.p.*		Richard
c. 1655 – 1717
Jacobite		John
d. 1691		Elizabeth
Macan
James
6th Earl
c. 1661 – 1734		Margaret
Legend
XXXJohn
Hamilton		XXXEarls of
Abercorn
*d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)

John Hamilton
BornProbably 1651 or 1552
Caen, France
Died12 July 1691
Dublin
Allegiance Kingdom of Ireland
Service/branchInfantry
Years of servicec. 1680 – 1691
RankMajor General
Battles/warsWilliamite War in Ireland:
RelationsRichard, Anthony (brothers)

Birth and origins

John Hamilton was probably born in 1651 or 1552[lower-alpha 2] in Caen, France, the sixth and youngest son of George Hamilton and his wife, Mary Butler.[1] His family had fled Ireland early that year during the Cromwellian conquest.[4]

His father was Scottish, the fourth son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn, a faithful supporter of James Butler, Marquess of Ormond and lord lieutenant of Ireland,[5] during the Irish Confederate Wars and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland,[6] and a would-be baronet.[7][8][lower-alpha 3]

John's mother was Irish, the third daughter of Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (courtesy title), who predeceased his father, Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond, and therefore never succeeded to the earldom. She also was a sister of James Butler,[9] marquess of Ormond and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.[10] Her family, the Butlers, were Old English.[11]

Hamilton's parents had married in 1635, despite earlier dates reported in error due to his father being often mistaken for his homonymous granduncle.[3][lower-alpha 4] John was one of nine siblings.[12] See James, George, Elizabeth, Anthony, and Richard.[lower-alpha 5] John's parents were both Catholic,[lower-alpha 6] and so was he.

French childhood

His father had been receiver general for James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormond the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.[13] Ormond left Ireland for France in December 1650.[14] Hamilton's father wanted to leave with him but was accused of fraud by the clerical faction.[15] Found innocent, Hamilton's father, accompanied by his family, left Ireland in spring 1651.[2] They went to Caen, Normandy,[16] where they were accommodated for some time by his mother's sister Elizabeth Preston, the Marchioness of Ormond. That is where John was probably born. Lady Ormond with her children left for England in August 1652,[17] whereas John's mother moved to Paris where she lived in the Convent of the Feuillantines.[18]

Restoration

The Restoration in May 1660 brought Charles II on the English throne.[19] Hamilton's father and his elder brothers moved to the court at Whitehall.[20] Charles II restored Donalong, Ulster, to Hamilton's father.[21] About that year Charles allegedly created Hamilton's father baronet of Donalong and Nenagh,[lower-alpha 3] but the king if he really went that far, refused to go further because the family was Catholic.[22]

John's elder brothers, James and George, became courtiers at Whitehall.[23] Early in 1661 their father also brought his wife and his younger children to London,[24] where they lived for some time all together in a house near Whitehall.[25]

James II

Hamilton became an officer in James II's Royal Irish Army, as did his older brothers Anthony and Richard. This seems to have been Hamilton's first military employment as he seems to have never joined his brothers at Hamilton's regiment in France.[26][27] However Walter Scott believed that he served in France with his brothers.[28]

He stayed loyal to James at the 1688 Glorious Revolution. He seems to have gone into French exile with the King.[29] He took all the officers and soldiers with him from Saint-Germain[30] and landed with James II at Kinsale on 12 March 1689, having sailed on the ship-of-the-line Entreprenant.[31] By June 1690 he was ranked brigadier, and was listed as one of the "directors" left in Ireland by Tyrconnell when the latter travelled to France following the defeat at the Boyne.

Marriage and daughter

In 1690, Hamilton married Elizabeth Macan (or, likely, McCann) of the family of the ancient Irish Lords of Clanbrassil, different from the viscounts and earls of Clanbrassill,[32] who were Hamiltons from Scotland.

John and Elizabeth had a daughter:

  • Margaret, who married a Comte de Marmier in France.[33]

Limerick

In 1690 Hamilton fought in the successful defence of Limerick.[34] This was the first siege of the town during this war in which William had to concede defeat after a costly failed attack and when the winter approached early.

Aughrim, death, and timeline

During the campaign of 1691 in Ireland, Hamilton was involved in the Siege of Athlone, where he attempted to retake the city with two infantry brigades but failed.[35]

On 12 July 1691 at the Battle of Aughrim, he commanded the second line of infantry.[36] Seriously wounded, he was taken prisoner late in the day and died in Dublin shortly afterwards.[37][38] His wife and daughter went to James II's court in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Timeline
As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages. Italics for historical background.
AgeDateEvent
01651, estimateProbably born in 1651 in Caen, France[lower-alpha 2]
8–929 May 1660Restoration of King Charles II[19]
9–10Early in 1661Brought to London[24]
27–281679Father died.[12]
33–346 Feb 1685Accession of James II, succeeding Charles II[39]
35–368 Jan 1687Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland[40]
37–3812 Mar 1689Landed with James II in Ireland[31]
38–391690Married Elizabeth Macan.
39–401691Died in Dublin from wounds received at the Battle of Aughrim on 12 July[38]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. This family tree is derived from the Abercorn pedigree pictured in Cokayne[41] and written genealogies of the Abercorns.[42][43]
  2. His most likely birth date is constrained by his parents arrival in France, early in 1651,[1][2] and his mother's age who had married in 1635.[3]
  3. John's father's article has more detail about these attempts to become a baronet.
  4. John's father's article discusses his mistaken identity.
  5. John's father's article gives a list of all nine siblings.
  6. Anthony's father's article has some detail about Anthony's Protestant grandfather, the 1st Earl of Abercorn.

Citations
  1. Clark 1921, p. 7, line 8. "The two youngest Hamiltons, probably John and Margaret, were born abroad."
  2. Clark 1921, p. 5, line . "In the spring of 1651 took place, at last, the event which had such a determining influence on the fate of the young Hamiltons. Sir George Hamilton left his country for France with his family ..."
  3. Manning 2001, p. 150, bottom. "... February 28th, 1635 regarding the marriage intended between Hamilton and Mary Butler, sister of the earl, which was to take place before the last day of April [1635]."
  4. Clark 1921, p. 5. "In the spring of 1651 took place, at last, the event which had such a determining influence on the fate of the young Hamiltons. Sir George Hamilton left his country for France with his family ..."
  5. Barnard 2004, p. 156, left column. "Ormond was rewarded by being named by the king as lord lieutenant, and was sworn on 21 January 1644."
  6. Wasser 2004, p. 838, left column, line 43. "During the Irish wars he [George] served King Charles loyally, in association with his brother-in-law, James Butler, twelfth earl and first duke of Ormond."
  7. Mahaffy 1900, p. 53. "5 June [1634] Westminster. The King to the Lord Deputy for Claude Hamilton and Sir George Hamilton, Kt. and Bt. Ordering him to consider a petition ..."
  8. Cokayne 1903, p. 305, note c. "This non-assumption of the dignity throws some little doubt on its creation."
  9. Burke & Burke 1915, p. 54, right column, line 35. "... Mary 3rd dau. [daughter] of Thomas Viscount Thurles and sister of the 1st Duke of Ormonde. He d. [died] 1679. She d. Aug 1680 ..."
  10. Cokayne 1895, p. 149, line 27. "He [James Butler] was cr. [created] 30 Aug. 1642 Marquess of Ormonde [I. [Ireland]];"
  11. Cokayne 1889, p. 94. "1. Theobald Walter ... accompanied in 1185 John, Count of Mortaigue, Lord of Ireland ... into Ireland."
  12. Burke & Burke 1915, p. right column, line 33. "4. George (Sir) 1st Bart. of Donalong  ... he d. 1679. ... [6 sons and 3 daughters enumerated]"
  13. Clark 1921, p. 5, line 2. "In January 1649, after the peace between the Lord Lieutenant and the Confederates, Sir George was appointed Receiver-General of the Revenues for Ireland, in the place of the Earl of Roscommon who had died."
  14. O'Sullivan 1983, p. 284, line 15. "... boarding a small frigate, the Elizabeth of Jersey, at Galway on the 7th December, 1650 ..."
  15. Clark 1921, p. 5, line 19. "When Ormonde left the kingdom in December, 1650, Sir George would have accompanied him with his family, but the clergy having unjustly questioned his honesty as Receiver-General, he was obliged to stay and clear his name, which he did successfully."
  16. Millar 1890, p. 177, left column, line 46. "Marquis of Ormonde, whom he followed to Caen in the spring of 1651 with his wife and family."
  17. Perceval-Maxwell 2004, pp. 130–131. "... in August 1652 she [Lady Ormond] left for England with her family ..."
  18. Clark 1921, p. 8. "... his [Anthony Hamilton's] mother and his aunt, Lady Muskerry, had apartments at the couvent des Feuillantines in Paris ..."
  19. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 39. "Charles II. ... acc. 29 May 1660 ..."
  20. Wauchope 2004, p. 888, right column, line 11. "... until the restoration when the family moved to Whitehall."
  21. Elliott 2000, p. 114. "The Scottish settlers Sir George Hamilton and his brother Claud, Lord Strabane, were restored in Tyrone ..."
  22. Chisholm 1910b, p. 884, first paragraph, lines lower middle. "The fact that, like his father, he [Anthony Hamilton] was a Roman Catholic prevented his receiving the political promotion ..."
  23. Rigg 1890, p. 135, right column, line 17. "These two brothers are frequently mentioned in the Mémoires."
  24. Clark 1921, p. 12, line 1. "It was in the beginning of 1661 that Sir George Hamilton brought his wife and younger children to England. His elder sons had already preceded him."
  25. Clark 1921, p. 12, line 22. "The family, the six sons and three daughters, lived for some time in a large comfortable house near Whitehall ..."
  26. Clark 1921, p. 44, line 4. "Their youngest brother, John, never served in France, though this is often stated to have been the case."
  27. Boisseleau 1884, p. 516, note 1. "1. Frère de Mme la comtesse de Gramont, qui n'avoit pas servi en France, comme ses autres frères."
  28. Scott 1846, p. 5. "He [Anthony] entered early into the army of Louis XIV., as did his brothers, George, Richard, and John "
  29. Dangeau 1854, p. 324, line 2. "Le cadet Hamilton [John?] est arrivé en France; l'aîné est passé en Ecosse pour faire quelques propositions au milord Tyrconnel, ... il a des passe-ports du prince d'Orange pour aller et revenir ..."
  30. Dangeau 1854, p. 332, line 2. "Jeudi 17 [Fevrier 1689] ... Le jeune Hamilton [John?] est reparti de Saint-Germain, et emmène avec lui tous les officiers et soldats anglois et écossois qui y étoient arrivés. Il s'embarquera pour l'Irlande avec le duc de Berwick."
  31. Boulger 1911, p. 57. "Entreprenant. MM. de Roze, de Maumont, Boisseleau, Colonel Hamilton (John) ..."
  32. O'Hart 1892, p. 584. "Cana, a younger brother of Donal ... was the ancestor of MacCana (anglicised McCann) Lords of Clanbrassil, county Armagh."
  33. Clark 1921, p. 107, Note 5. "Lord Hamilton left a widow (de l'ancienne illustre maison de Macan seigneur du Clanbrazil dans le Comté d'Armac en Irlande) and one daughter, Margaret, who married a Comte de Marmier in France."
  34. Boisseleau 1884, p. 516, line 22. "M. le chevalier d'Hamilton ne quitta point l'attaque et donna des marques de sa valeur et d'un bon officier."
  35. Boyle 1867, p. 264. "... [St. Ruth] ordered Major-General John Hamilton to take two brigades and drive the enemy again beyond the river."
  36. Hayes-McCoy 1990, p. 250. "Major-General John Hamilton commanded the second line."
  37. Doherty 1998, p. 181. "... two major-generals (Dorrington and John Hamilton), a brigadier and another nine colonels were captured. Hamilton later died from wounds."
  38. Boulger 1911, p. 244. "... Major-General John Hamilton, who died at Dublin soon after of his wounds ..."
  39. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 46, line 46. "James II. ... acc. 6 Feb. 1685 ..."
  40. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 170, line 10. "1687, 8 Jan. / 12 Feb. / Richard, 1st e. [earl] of Tyrconnell L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
  41. Cokayne 1910, p. 4. "Tabular pedigree of the Earls of Abercorn"
  42. Cokayne 1910, pp. 2–11
  43. Paul 1904, pp. 37–74

Sources
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