Richard Hamilton (officer)
Encyclopedia
Richard Hamilton was a Jacobite Irish army officer who fought on both sides during the Williamite War in Ireland
.
. He was a younger brother of the playwright Anthony Hamilton
. As an infant the family moved to France, until the Restoration, when his family moved to Whitehall
.
In 1678 he succeeded Thomas Dongan as the regiment's colonel, but it was disbanded later that year and he joined a French regiment, which he commanded for over six years. He was said to have been popular in the French court and in 1681 was documented as putting on a performance in front of Louis XIV as a zephyr at St Germain-en-Laye in Quinault
's ballet Le triomphe de l'amour. In March 1685 he departed from the French service after a bitter disagreement with the minister of war over the state of his regiment and after a brawl with Marquis d'Alincourt, fighting for the affections of the Princess de Conti, Louis XIV's recently widowed daughter.
After returning to England, he was made a colonel of dragoons of Ireland by James II
on 20 June 1685. He was promoted to brigadier in April 1686, making him the third most senior member of the Irish army. In May 1686 he was appointed to the privy council of Ireland. He was promoted to major-general on 12 November 1688.
In early 1687, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell held considerable sway and was promoted to the position of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. When word of the Glorious Revolution
arrived in Ireland, many Protestants hostile to Tyrconnell immediately declared their support for William of Orange. William dispatched Colonel Richard Hamilton to Tyrconnell to request his surrender, thinking that Hamilton would be a useful intermediary as a fellow Catholic. Hamilton instead urged Tyrconnell to reject William's terms and joined Tyrconnell's side. Upon landing at Ringsend
in January 1689 he was reported to have gone straight to a tavern, where he ‘broke out into loud laughter, saying he could not forbear it, thinking how finely he had shammed the Prince of Orange’. He was promoted to Lieutenant-General and immediately marched through Ulster at the head of a Catholic army seizing Protestant towns. He engaged and defeated Sir Arthur Rawdon in the battle called the Break of Dromore
on 14 March 1689. Under Tyrconnell he later commanded the right wing of the Irish army, defending the ford at Oldbridge during the Battle of the Boyne
on 1 July 1690. He once raided the Antrim Castle
with his men and took Viscount Massereene
's silver plate and other silverware and furniture up to a value of £3000, a considerable loss at the time.
Hamilton was caught and placed before King William and kept a prisoner in Dublin until January 1691, when he was moved to Chester Castle
. He was released in April 1692 in exchange for Lord Mountjoy, after which he departed again for France, arriving in Versailles
. There he served under Marshal Bellefonds in King James's invasion force in Normandy, but were forced to retreat in 19–24 May 1692.
Hamilton became active in the exiled Jacobite court and in 1696 he became James's master of the robes. In March 1708 they attempted to invade Scotland but the attack was aborted. In 1713, Hamilton was implicated in a scandal in which he had plotted to usurp Lord Middleton as secretary of state and in destitution later went to live with his niece, the abbess of the convent of St Marie, Poussay
where he lived a life of piety and died in December 1717.
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
.
Biography
Richard was a younger son of George Hamilton of Donalong, an Irish baronet and the younger son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of AbercornJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn PC .-Biography:He was the eldest son of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley , and of Margaret, daughter of George Seton, 7th Lord Seton....
. He was a younger brother of the playwright Anthony Hamilton
Antoine Hamilton
Antoine Hamilton was an Irish classical author of near Scottish ancestry, who wrote in French....
. As an infant the family moved to France, until the Restoration, when his family moved to Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
.
In 1678 he succeeded Thomas Dongan as the regiment's colonel, but it was disbanded later that year and he joined a French regiment, which he commanded for over six years. He was said to have been popular in the French court and in 1681 was documented as putting on a performance in front of Louis XIV as a zephyr at St Germain-en-Laye in Quinault
Quinault
Quinault may refer to:* Quinault , a Native American tribe* MV Quinault, a Steel Electric Class ferry previously part of the Washington State Ferry system* Château Quinault, a Saint-Émilion wineryPeople:...
's ballet Le triomphe de l'amour. In March 1685 he departed from the French service after a bitter disagreement with the minister of war over the state of his regiment and after a brawl with Marquis d'Alincourt, fighting for the affections of the Princess de Conti, Louis XIV's recently widowed daughter.
After returning to England, he was made a colonel of dragoons of Ireland by James II
James II
James II may refer to:* James II, Count of La Marche , King Consort of Naples* James II , the second EP by Mancunian band James* James II of Aragon , King of Sicily...
on 20 June 1685. He was promoted to brigadier in April 1686, making him the third most senior member of the Irish army. In May 1686 he was appointed to the privy council of Ireland. He was promoted to major-general on 12 November 1688.
In early 1687, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell held considerable sway and was promoted to the position of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. When word of the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
arrived in Ireland, many Protestants hostile to Tyrconnell immediately declared their support for William of Orange. William dispatched Colonel Richard Hamilton to Tyrconnell to request his surrender, thinking that Hamilton would be a useful intermediary as a fellow Catholic. Hamilton instead urged Tyrconnell to reject William's terms and joined Tyrconnell's side. Upon landing at Ringsend
Ringsend
Ringsend is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey, about two kilometres east of the city centre, and is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll Bridge....
in January 1689 he was reported to have gone straight to a tavern, where he ‘broke out into loud laughter, saying he could not forbear it, thinking how finely he had shammed the Prince of Orange’. He was promoted to Lieutenant-General and immediately marched through Ulster at the head of a Catholic army seizing Protestant towns. He engaged and defeated Sir Arthur Rawdon in the battle called the Break of Dromore
Break of Dromore
The Break of Dromore is a name given to a battle fought during the Williamite War in Ireland on March 14, 1689. The battle was fought between Catholic Jacobite troops under Richard Hamilton and Protestant Williamites....
on 14 March 1689. Under Tyrconnell he later commanded the right wing of the Irish army, defending the ford at Oldbridge during the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
on 1 July 1690. He once raided the Antrim Castle
Antrim Castle
Antrim Castle or Massereene Castle was a castle in Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was erected in stages between 1610 and 1666. It was destroyed in 1922 and finally demolished in the 1970s.- History:...
with his men and took Viscount Massereene
John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene
John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene was an Anglo-Irish politician.-Life:He was a son of Sir Hugh Clotworthy, sheriff of county Antrim....
's silver plate and other silverware and furniture up to a value of £3000, a considerable loss at the time.
Hamilton was caught and placed before King William and kept a prisoner in Dublin until January 1691, when he was moved to Chester Castle
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
. He was released in April 1692 in exchange for Lord Mountjoy, after which he departed again for France, arriving in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. There he served under Marshal Bellefonds in King James's invasion force in Normandy, but were forced to retreat in 19–24 May 1692.
Hamilton became active in the exiled Jacobite court and in 1696 he became James's master of the robes. In March 1708 they attempted to invade Scotland but the attack was aborted. In 1713, Hamilton was implicated in a scandal in which he had plotted to usurp Lord Middleton as secretary of state and in destitution later went to live with his niece, the abbess of the convent of St Marie, Poussay
Poussay
Poussay is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Porsuavitains .-Geography:...
where he lived a life of piety and died in December 1717.