General Notes

REFN: 584AN
REFN: P584
This Major received a Bounty Land Warrant, BLWT1010-400, issued
4 /20/1796, 400 acres. In a letter from a William H. Hannum, 700 Frankline
Ave, Columbus, OH, probably in the 1920's,the following is asserted that
the Majo r James Hamilton: "a famous son of William Hamilton was Major or
Colonel Jame s Hamiton, the Hero of Yorktown" (from The History of
Lancaster, PA, by H.M.J . Klein, I227), and from same, I325: "Colonel
Hamilton, one of George Washing ton's aides."
Also, from DAR books (Vol 10, p305, Vol 26, p48): "James Hamilto n was
captain of Continetnal infantry when taken prisoner at Fort Montgomery.
He received the British flag, surrendered by Cornwallis at Yorktown. He
wa s president of the State Society of the Cincinnati when he died in
1833, at t he age of 83".
James Hamilton, rose from the ranks to a high position in the a rmy. He
became the progenitor of a very distinguished family in South Carolin a.
William Hamilton died in January, 1782. His tender regard for his son
Ja mes, who was with the army in the South, was shown when he wrote his
will. He devised a farm to each of his sons, Hugh, William, John and
Robert. At this time he did not know whether James was living or not, and
fearing he might re turn to his home a maimed soldier, and unable to make
a comfortable living, g ave him two thousand pounds.
"This James Hamilton was born upon the parental f arm in 1758, in Leacock
township. He was probably one of the classical schola rs of the Rev.
Robert Smith at Pequea church. When the tocsin of war sounded at
Massachusetts Bay, his heart was fired with patriotic zeal, before he
at tained his majority. On March 16th, 1776, he was enrolled as second
lieutenan t in Captain John Murray's company of riflemen in the Second
Batallion of Col . Miles' regiment. He must have shown an aptituDe for
military affairs to an unusual degree in one so young to be placed in the
line of officers. In his f uture career he demmonstrated the wisdom of the
selection. He was in active s ervice in the Jerseys and participated in
the campaign there. He was in the h ottest of the fight on Long Island, in
August, taken prisoner, and not exchan ged until November 2, 1777. For
gallant conduct in this action, in September, 1778, he was promoted to a
captaincy in the First Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. James Chambers
(who subsequently married a Miss Hamilton). On December 10, 1778, he was
promoted to Major of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Line,
commanded by Col. Walter Stewart. In May, 1780, he commanded a
detac hment, and, as senior Major, he commanded his Battalion at Yorktown,
which wa s in Gen. Wayne's command.
"After the surrender of Cornwallis, General Wayne, with his brigade, was
sent to the relief of Charleston, and Major Hamilton wa s in service there
when peace was declared. When there he met Elizabeth Lynch , sister of
Thomas Lynch, jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Indep endence,
from South Carolina. They were married, and for years they lived upo n his
plantation on the Santee. For some time prior and at the time of his
death he resided in the city of Charleston. Among other children he had a
son James, who was born in Charleston, May 8, 1786, and became one of the
most d istinguished of the many prominent men of the Palmetto State. He
received a c ollegiate education and graduated with high honors. His
father had in view th e profession of law for his son, but he preferred a
military life and entered the army, serving with great credit as a major
in the Canadian campaigns und er Scott and Brown, in 1812. The battles
there were the hottest and better co ntested on both sides than any other
during that war. After the war he commen ced the study of law with James
L. Petigrew. For several years in succession Major Hamilton was chosen
the chief officer in Charleston, which corresponds to that of mayor in
northern cities. He display