HAMILTON, FREDERICK [SSNE 1184]
Text source
Sir Frederick Hamilton is listed in Balfour Paul's Scot's Peerage as the son of Lord Claud Hamilton, Lord Paisley by Margret, daughter of George, fifth Lord Seton. Sir Frederick was a gentleman of the King's Privy Chamber. Sir Frederick was one of the Scottish colonels of a recruited Scottish-Irish battalion in 1631 who served under the Swedish General Ake Todt. It is most likely that the troops were originally raised for service with James Marquis of Hamilton [SSNE 1348], but were diverted before joining with that army. Sir Frederick was responsible for the levying of troops for this regiment in Scotland and Ireland via his lieutenant-colonel, Arthur Forbes. These troops linked up with other British formations including those of Major Grove [SSNE 3738] and Alexander, Master of Forbes [SSNE 1616]. In April 1632, Forbes challenged Hamilton to a duel for reasons unknown, receiving permission for the duel from Field-Marshal Todt. Alexander Leslie [SSNE 1] tried to have the duel prevented, and Hamilton offered satisfaction as long as his honor remained intact. However, Forbes remained 'violently obstinate' and Hamilton killed him on 16 April. Leslie reported the duel to James Hay, Earl of Carlisle [SSNE 1470] and supported Hamilton's good character.
After the duel, Hamilton's regiment was commanded at times by his lieutenant colonel, William Cunningham [SSNE 2140]. These sieged the town of Bremersford near Stade. They were surprised by General Pappenheim, but escaped through the bogs to Buxtehude. The unit moved to Hoxter where they formed the garrison before assaulting Draconfeldt during which service they were noted for their bravery.While in Swedish service, he became involved in a dispute with the Master of Forbes, though the outcome is unknown. In 1633 Frederick became a guildbrother in Edinburgh but he did not stay there long. In his "humble Remonstrance" Hamilton notes that he 'served some years under the glorious and victorious Prince, the king of Sweden’. When he returned he fell foul of Strafford who determined to ‘ruine my honour and fortune’. He also went to Londonderry to claim his inheritance from his wife’s father Sir John Vaughan, former governor of Derry. The 1641 rebellion broke out and his family suffered great misery. Hamilton was deprived of his income of £3000, his tenants and estates and he was forced to appeal to his friends in Scotland for help. Hamilton went on to form a regiment of horse, 'Hamilton's Horse', which served in the army of the Solemn League and Covenant, mostly in Scotland, but in 1645 and 1646 he was amongst the Covenanters in Ireland. He died in 1647. He was twice married - first to Sidney, daughter of Sir John Vaughan, and then to Agnes, daughter of Sir Robert Hepburn - and he became the father of the barons Hamilton of Stackallan and the Viscount Boyne. This man does not appear in the Swedish Krigsarkiv muster rolls.
Sources: The Swedish Intelligencer: The Fourth Part (London, 1633), pp.127-133, 142, 144; R. Monro, His Expedition with the Worthy Scots Regiment called Makays (2 vols., London, 1637), II, List 1 and pp.102 and 02 verso; Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, 2nd series, IV, pp.319-320, 348-351, 626-7; De Svenska Ätterna Hamilton en släktkrönika, by Hamiltonska Släktföreningen 1, (Göteborg, 1936), pp.102, 116-117; T. Fischer, The Scots in Germany (Edinburgh, 1902), p.89; Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage (8 vols., Edinburgh, 1904-1911), I, pp.43-44; E. Furgol. A Regimental History of the Covenanting Armies (Edinburgh, 1990), pp.146-148. The following reference was supplied by Professor JANE OHLMEYER. Bib Name/Number: Wing (2nd ed.) / H477B UMI Collection / reel number: Early English Books, 1641-1700 1849:24. 'The humble remonstrance of Sir Frederick Hammilton, knight and colonell. To the right honourable the committee of both kingdoms', (London, 1643), pp.2-3; The British Library, Egerton MS 2597, f. 177, Alexander Leslie to James Hay, 22 April 1632.
The most complete work on this man remains Dominic Rooney, The Life and times of Sir Frederick Hamilton (Dublin, 2013)
This entry has been updated by Mr Jack Abernethy.
Service record
- SWEDEN, SWEDISH ARMY
- Departed 1633-12-31, as COLONEL
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY