Thomas Hamilton

Thomas Hamilton (17897 December 1842) was a Scottish soldier and author. Life He was born in Pisa, Tuscany, the second son of William Hamilton (1758–1790), professor of anatomy and botany at Glasgow. He was the younger brother of metaphysician Sir William Hamilton (1788–1856). Their father died a few months after Thomas was born. After preliminary education at Glasgow, he was placed in 1801 as a pupil with the Rev. Dr. Home, in Chiswick, England, and some months later with the Rev. Dr. Scott, Hounslow, also in England. For several months in 1803, he was with Dr. Sommers at Mid Calder, Midlothian, preparatory to entering Glasgow University, where he matriculated the following November. He studied there for three years, proving himself an able if not very diligent student. His close college companion, of whom he saw little in later life, was Michael Scott, the author of Tom Cringle's Log. Hamilton's bias was towards the army, and in 1810, after fully showing his incapacity for business in Glasgow and Liverpool, he got a commission in the 29th regiment. Twice on active service in the Peninsula, he received a serious wound in the thigh from a musket bullet at the Battle of Albuera. He was also in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with his regiment, which at length was sent to France as part of the army of occupation.