Sir John Hamilton, 1st Baronet, of Woodbrook
| Sir John Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 August 1755 Strabane, County Tyrone |
| Died | 24 December 1835 Tunbridge Wells, Kent |
| Allegiance |
 Honourable East India Company United Kingdom Kingdom of Portugal
|
| Service/branch |
British Army
|
| Years of service | 1771–1835 |
| Rank | British Army Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Cooch Behar First Anglo-Maratha War • Capture of Lahar • Capture of Gwalior • Capture of Bijaigarh Second Mysore War • Capture of Bangalore French Revolutionary Wars • Haitian Revolution Napoleonic Wars • Battle of Albuera • Second Siege of Badajoz • Defence of Alba de Tormes • Battle of Nivelle |
| Awards |
Baronetcy of Woodbrook Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword British knighthood |
Lieutenant-General Sir John James Hamilton, 1st Baronet (1755–1835) was a highly respected and experienced officer of the Honourable East India Company, the British Army and during the Napoleonic Wars the Portuguese Army who saw action across the world from India to the West Indies and was honoured for his service by both the British and Portuguese royal families. Of noble Irish descent, related by birth to the first Earl Castle Stewart and by marriage to the Earl of Tyrone, Hamilton's extensive career and brave service was widely recognised during his life and after his death.
John Hamilton was born in Woodbrook near Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland to James and Elinor Hamilton in 1755. His mother was the niece of the Earl Castle Stewart and through family connections young Hamilton was able to secure a commission in the army of the Honourable East India Company aged only 16 in 1771. Taking a Bengal cadetship and joining the Bengal Light Infantry in 1772, Hamilton was almost immediately pressed into action, participating the British invasion of Cooch Behar at the invitation its rulers who were facing a simultaneous invasion from the Bhutanese to the north. In 1778 Hamilton was promoted to lieutenant and in 1780 was once again in action during the First Anglo-Maratha War, where his troops participated in the storm and capture of Lahar, Gwalior and Bijaigarh from the Maratha Empire. In 1781 at the war's conclusion, Hamilton was promoted again, to captain.
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