Henry Hamilton

Lt Gov Henry Hamilton

Harvard University Portrait Collection

Quick Facts

Significance:

Revolutionary War

Place of Birth:

Dublin, Ireland

Date of Birth:

1734

Place of Death:

Antigua

Date of Death:

1796

I declared aloud the occasion, which was the retaking possession (by His Majesty's subjects) of the territory lately invaded by the Rebels, thanked the Officers who had honord me thus far with their company

-- Henry Hamilton  

Not much is known of Henry Hamilton’s early life and upbringing. However, records indicated that he was more than likely born in Dublin Ireland, around 1734, and was one of 7 children. His father served as an Irish member of parliament. His older brother Sackville Hamilton, served as Privy Councilor and Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Hamilton, being a younger son in the family, by tradition entered the military. During the French and Indian War and part of the Seven Years’ War he served as a Captain in the 15^th Regiment of Foot. Quickly, Hamilton rose to the can of brigade major, however in 1775 he left the British Army, selling his commission and opted for a political career.

He arrived at Fort Detroit, in 1775, and assumed his new title of Lieutenant Governor. The British, in the early stages of the American Revolution held a tenuous claim to lands in the future Northwest Territory. Along with their 13 colonies in the east, Great Britain also laid claim to the land west of the Appalachian Mountains, north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. To maintain this land Hamilton was given around 300 soldiers. Unfortunately, this was not enough to keep order, with more and more settlers moving into the Northwest.

Left with few options, Hamilton, began to employ the help of the Native American tribes north of the Ohio River, arming the warriors and sending them on raids into Kentucky, which by that point was a county of Virginia.

By 1777, he had gained the nickname “hair buyer” Hamilton. While there is no direct evidence to prove that Hamilton awarded the natives with present if they brought American scalps back to Fort Detroit, it was commonly believed both then and now. Nevertheless, 1777, became known as the year of the bloody sevens, due to the multitude of violent attacks on the settlers.

It was because of these raids and attacks that Lt. Colonel George Rogers Clark pushed for an expedition west to confront the British at Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes. After the initial success of Clark’s campaign, Hamilton called for a counterattack, marching from Fort Detroit to Fort Sackville arriving on December 18, 1778. Once in Vincennes, Hamilton took control of the Fort and demanded that the French townspeople take a new oath of allegiance to the British Crown.

Hamilton's actions led to a daring counterattack by George Rogers Clark which led to the recapture of the fort by Clark and his combined forces of American militia and French volunteers on February 25, 1779.

As the Americans lay siege to the fort, it was clear to Hamilton that he could no longer hold the post and on the morning of February 25th, he did not raise the British flag over the fort because he wanted to be spared the humiliation of taking it down in front of his enemies. Hamilton was eventually put in chains and sent back to Williamsburg, Virginia as a prisoner. Hamilton journaled about his march to Vincennes, time at Fort Sackville and his journey as a prisoner in Williamsburg. This Journal provides a firsthand account of the history from a unique perspective He also was known to be a talented sketch artist, sketching (link to sketches) many of the Native Americans he encountered.

Hamilton was eventually exchanged and became the Lieutenant Governor and later Deputy Governor of Quebec, before spending his remaining years as governor of Bermuda and Antigua in the Caribbean. Hamilton, passed away at the age of 62 on September 29, 1796.