HENRY HAMILTON
Name: Henry Hamilton
Born: 1734
Died: 29 September 1796
Henry Hamilton (c.1734 – 29 September 1796) was an Irish-born official of the
British Empire. He was captured during the American Revolutionary War while
serving as the lieutenant governor at the British post of Fort Detroit.
Henry was probably born in Dublin, Ireland, a younger son of Henry Hamilton (1692–1743),
an Irish Member of Parliament. He was raised in County Cork, then started his
military career when the French and Indian War, in the attack on Fortress
Louisbourg and the Battle of Quebec. With the support of Lieutenant Governor of
Canada Guy Carleton, Hamilton rose to the rank of brigade major. In 1775, he
sold his commission, leaving the British Army for a political career.
In 1775, Hamilton was appointed Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent of Indian
Affairs at Fort Detroit, one of five newly created lieutenant governorships in
the recently expanded Province of Quebec. The American Revolutionary War was
already underway by the time Hamilton arrived at Detroit to assume his duties.
Hamilton was in a difficult position: as a civil official, Hamilton had few
regular troops at his command, and the natives of the region—French Canadians
and American Indians—were not all supporters of the British regime.
Hamilton became adept at diplomacy with American Indians, establishing good
relations with local Indian leaders. When the war began, British officials
initially determined not to enlist Indians as allies in the war effort, but in
1777 Hamilton received instructions to encourage Indian raids against the
American frontier settlements of Virginia and Pennsylvania. This was a
controversial policy because it was realised that civilian colonists would
inevitably be killed in these raids. Hamilton attempted to limit civilian
casualties by sending British officers and French-Canadian militia with the
American Indian war parties. Nevertheless, hundreds of settlers in Kentucky and
western Pennsylvania were killed and scalped by raiding parties during the war.
In Detroit, Hamilton paid bounties for prisoners and scalps brought in by the
Indians. He became hated by American settlers, who dubbed him the "Hair-buyer
General".
In 1778, Virginia forces under Colonel George Rogers Clark captured several
undermanned British posts in the Illinois country, including Fort Sackville at
Vincennes. Hamilton set out from Detroit in late August to retake the post. By
the coming of winter he had succeeded. But in February 1779 Clark returned to
Vincennes in a surprise march, recapturing the outpost and taking Hamilton
prisoner.
Because of his support of the Indian raids, the Virginians regarded Hamilton as
a war criminal rather than a conventional prisoner of war. Clark sent Hamilton
to Williamsburg, Virginia, where he was jailed and often kept in irons by
Governor Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson finally granted Hamilton parole at the
instructions of General George Washington. In early 1781, Hamilton was exchanged
and traveled to London.
Hamilton returned to Canada in 1782, becoming Lieutenant-Governor, and later
Deputy-Governor at Quebec. He went on to be Governor of Bermuda (1786-1793) and
of Dominica (1795-1796). He married late in life to Elizabeth Lee, and their
only child was a daughter who died in 1871 without children. He died on the
island of Antigua in 1796, while still Governor of Dominica. Sackville Hamilton,
his older brother, was a Privy Councillor and Chief Secretary for Ireland.
Name: Henry Hamilton
Born: 1734
Died: 29 September 1796
Henry Hamilton (c.1734 – 29 September 1796) was an Irish-born official of the
British Empire. He was captured during the American Revolutionary War while
serving as the lieutenant governor at the British post of Fort Detroit.
Henry was probably born in Dublin, Ireland, a younger son of Henry Hamilton (1692–1743),
an Irish Member of Parliament. He was raised in County Cork, then started his
military career when the French and Indian War, in the attack on Fortress
Louisbourg and the Battle of Quebec. With the support of Lieutenant Governor of
Canada Guy Carleton, Hamilton rose to the rank of brigade major. In 1775, he
sold his commission, leaving the British Army for a political career.
In 1775, Hamilton was appointed Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent of Indian
Affairs at Fort Detroit, one of five newly created lieutenant governorships in
the recently expanded Province of Quebec. The American Revolutionary War was
already underway by the time Hamilton arrived at Detroit to assume his duties.
Hamilton was in a difficult position: as a civil official, Hamilton had few
regular troops at his command, and the natives of the region—French Canadians
and American Indians—were not all supporters of the British regime.
Hamilton became adept at diplomacy with American Indians, establishing good
relations with local Indian leaders. When the war began, British officials
initially determined not to enlist Indians as allies in the war effort, but in
1777 Hamilton received instructions to encourage Indian raids against the
American frontier settlements of Virginia and Pennsylvania. This was a
controversial policy because it was realised that civilian colonists would
inevitably be killed in these raids. Hamilton attempted to limit civilian
casualties by sending British officers and French-Canadian militia with the
American Indian war parties. Nevertheless, hundreds of settlers in Kentucky and
western Pennsylvania were killed and scalped by raiding parties during the war.
In Detroit, Hamilton paid bounties for prisoners and scalps brought in by the
Indians. He became hated by American settlers, who dubbed him the "Hair-buyer
General".
In 1778, Virginia forces under Colonel George Rogers Clark captured several
undermanned British posts in the Illinois country, including Fort Sackville at
Vincennes. Hamilton set out from Detroit in late August to retake the post. By
the coming of winter he had succeeded. But in February 1779 Clark returned to
Vincennes in a surprise march, recapturing the outpost and taking Hamilton
prisoner.
Because of his support of the Indian raids, the Virginians regarded Hamilton as
a war criminal rather than a conventional prisoner of war. Clark sent Hamilton
to Williamsburg, Virginia, where he was jailed and often kept in irons by
Governor Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson finally granted Hamilton parole at the
instructions of General George Washington. In early 1781, Hamilton was exchanged
and traveled to London.
Hamilton returned to Canada in 1782, becoming Lieutenant-Governor, and later
Deputy-Governor at Quebec. He went on to be Governor of Bermuda (1786-1793) and
of Dominica (1795-1796). He married late in life to Elizabeth Lee, and their
only child was a daughter who died in 1871 without children. He died on the
island of Antigua in 1796, while still Governor of Dominica. Sackville Hamilton,
his older brother, was a Privy Councillor and Chief Secretary for Ireland.